The perks of being a Wallcrawler
by SrgPancakes
Summary: Peter Parker was an ordinary fourteen year old kid, when an accident gave him amazing abilities. This story is a rewrite of the Spider-Man mythos, and the wider marvel universe! Summary is terrible. Read to understand.
1. Chapter 1: We have to start somewhere

**Disclaimer: Wow. Guess it's fitting that the disclaimer comes before the story. Well, I am not Marvel, Stan Lee or Steve Ditko, so it's safe to say I don't own any of the characters in this story. The plot is mostly mine though.**

 **This is a rewrite of the Spiderman mythos, the way I woulda liked it. This is for my own amusement as well as the amusement of my readers. I make no money off of this. Probably. I don't really know how fanfiction works. This is my first story.**

 **Anyway... enjoy.**

* * *

 **Chapter one:**

 ** _"We have to start somewhere."_**

* * *

 **2017**

Peter sat on the tip of the needle adorning the crown of the Empire State Building. The city looked so small from up here. So far from the hellhole it was deep down. Far from the pain. All of the people he cared about.

 _Uncle Ben. Gwen. Alex. All hurt because of me. Heck, I hurt Gwen myself. What's the use of saying sorry now. They'll probably hate me either way._ Peter thought as his face contorted into a grief stricken grimace.

Peter leapt from the antenna, making a flip so that he was facing the sky. Less than a second later he landed on his back with a crunch. He didn't even flinch. The only sound was a soft crooning.

 _Funny. a piece of clothing made me into a cynic._

Peter kipped up, landing with balance so uncanny it would make a olympic gymnast gasp. The floor of the building cracked where he landed, jagged pieces of concrete jutting from the crater. He slowly walked to the edge of the roof. The wind whipped his hair as he walked closer to edge. He stared for a moment as the cars swept by, wisps of light on the street. This was the tallest building in Manhattan, despite both Stark and Osborne vying for that spot _. A fall this high should do it_. Peter thought as he simply walked off the ledge.

* * *

 **2014**

 _Note to self: An alarm clock sounds like a foghorn when you've had only four hours of sleep in the last two days. Tried and tested Parker method._

Peter Parker lazily drooped out of bed yawning widely as he trudged into the bathroom. He washed up and brushed his teeth the same way he did every day. All ready and washed up, he got dressed and skiped down the stairs of his Aunt and Uncle's home in queens.

"Morning kiddo!" His uncle Ben happily said from where he was making pancakes, eggs and coffee.

"It's field trip day. You know what that means!" He cheered as Peter high fived him and sat at the table.

"Yes! I finally get to see where you work!"

"It's a regular take your kid to work day!" Uncle Ben laughed and handed Peter a plate of food.

"Do you think we'll get to see Mr. Osborne?" Peter excitedly asked while stuffing his face full of food.

"Mr. Osborne is a busy man... but I think you'll be able to see him from Area 3. His fishbowl of an office overlooks things from the second floor."

A horn from outside signaled the arrival of the school bus. Peter hastily jumped up and Uncle Ben walked with him to the door. He hugged Peter and stuffed a note in his hand.

"Now remember, your Aunt May has been working in the hospital since early this morning, she'll be getting off later today. I need you to ride the bus home with her… a woman her age shouldn't have to travel alone. And she won't have any money on her, so you'll need to pay for both your tickets, alright? Think you can do that for me?"

"You bet Uncle Ben!"

"Oh and Peter! Remember that I've got those spider cages to clean in the basement! So if you want to use your ' _lab'_ just be careful okay?"

"Sure thing uncle Ben! See you later!"

Peter ran up and jumped on the bus. He's one of the first kids to be picked up. He moved to sit in the back when someone grabbed his arm.

"Hey puny Parker! Sleep well?" Flash Thompson smirked as he threw Peter to the ground. He grabbed the money from Peter's hand.

"What's this? For me? You shouldn't have!" He laughed his most obnoxious laugh.

"Give that back! I need that money to pay for my aunt's bus ticket!" Peter yelled and tried to grab the money.

"Why don't you just ask your uncle to pick her up? Prissy Parker? He's a Janitor right? Just ask him to drive her home on his vacuum cleaner!" Flash laughed and fist-bumped one of his friends. The bus doors opened from where voice said:

"Give him back his money Flash! Or Coach Allen might just hear about how you faked your flu last week to go on a date with his Daughter."

Alex O'Hirn stood in the doorway. He had a bowl cut black hairdo and had arms like tree trunks. He was a heavy set kid, but made up for it in his strength. His family had a farm in Alabama so Alex got a lot of heavy lifting practice. Flash crumpled up the money and stuffed it in his pocket.

"Oh yeah O'Hirn? How about you come over here and make me." Flash narrowed his eyes.

Alex dropped his bag and squared his shoulders.

"I'd hate for us to loose our star _reserve_ quarterback due to a little fight. Not that I'd call punching you in the nose and watching you cry on the floor a fight." He sneered. Flash opened his mouth to retort but Rand Robertson stepped in between the two and addressed Alex.

"Hey! Rhino! You catch the game?" He smiled and grabbed Alex's hand in a greeting gesture. Randy and Alex were good friends and looked out for each other on the field. "Flash was just joking around man."

Flash grits his teeth.

"Weren't you Flash?"

Flash gave Peter a stare that could kill him on the spot. "Sure." He spat out. "Here _Petey_. Enjoy the bus trip." He yanked Peter up by the arm and shoved the money into his chest hard. Peter fell over. Flash guffawed.

As Flash and Randy sat down Alex helped Peter up and followed him to their usual seats.

"Thanks." Peter said softly.

"What're friends for..." Alex said and sat in the seat in front of Peter.

The bus doors opened again and a girl with a book clutched to her chest walked in. Gwen Stacy was a shy, quiet girl who lived in the suburbs neighboring Alex. She and Peter have been friends since last year, where they were paired up in a science peer assessment. She had golden hair, with strands of strawberry.

"Hey Gwen! How are you!" Alex enthusiastically said and scooted over to make space for her to sit next to him.

"Hi Gwen." Peter mumbled from behind his Spanish book. Alex smiled wide and waved. She sat down next to Peter.

"Hey..." she said softly. Peter didn't even notice the look she gave him. Alex did. His smile saddened a bit.

They rode in silence as other kids got on the bus.

"Hey, Gwen? Did you finish your science homework?" Alex asked reluctantly. "I got stuck on the parts about friction."

"Oh yeah. Want me to give you a hand later?" She smiled softly.

"Oh heck yes! How does after the trip sound? I can come over to your place?" His smile was back full force now.

"Aren't we supposed to work on our biology project? The bacteria we've been growing in Peter's freezer?" She looked over to the guy in question.

Alex joined her in looking at Peter. He looked up and saw their questioning glances, his eyes widened, and with a look like a trapped mouse he said:

"Qué?"

Alex and Gwen burst out into laughter as the bus pulled into the visitors area of the Oscorp science centre.

* * *

 _Man I love science._ Peter thought as he gazed at the entrance to the auditorium.

"Careful Pete you're going to get drool all over my hoodie." Alex laughed and shoved Peter jokingly as they walked past the exhibits on their way to the auditorium.

When they were all seated a man in a sharp suit walked on the stage to the podium. He smiled.

"Good morning everyone! First of all I want to remind you all of what an honour it is for you to be here, witnesses to the most cutting edge advancements in science and biology our world has to offer. It truly warms my heart to see young people expressing an interest in science. I also want to thank the following big wigs who have graced us with their presence.

"Dr Reed Richards! Dr Hank Pym! Mr. Tony Stark! And of course, give a big hand to our host and the leading expert on performance enhancement biology, Mr. Norman Osborne!"

 _We really are in the heart of modern science!_ Peter thought as a man in a slick suit and slicked back brown hair walked up to the podium.

"Good morning everyone! I had a whole speech prepared, but I can see you're all chomping at the bit to get to the good stuff! So without further ado, I declare the fifth annual Oscorp Science-Expo OPEN!"

Peter gasped in awe at the marvel of mechanical and genetic progress he saw at the science expo. All around him were great vials of bubbling liquids and shiny silver machines with their dials blinking.

He poked Alex in the shoulder pointed at a pudgy man in a lab coat demonstrating the use of robotic tentacle like limbs via an awkward headset.

"Check out Professor Squid over there..." Alex snorted at his joke.

A bearded man in his middle ages had a big glass dome where one giant green scorpion was brutally murdering a bunch of smaller ones. As soon as they were all dead the green scorpion gorged himself on the bodies of his fallen foes.

In the middle of it all was a man on a contraption that looked like a model airplane, just without the tail. The contraption began to whir and buzz as it slowly rose in the air.

They saw many more marvels of modern science, including a live demonstration of green electricity, generated by eels.

"I think I'm in love." Peter said as they watched a demonstration of radiation enhanced insects. A sad look crossed Gwen's face for a second.

* * *

"-and so I said, that's not a Mutagenic Sequencer Alex! That's a Genetic Splicer!"

Gwen laughed softly as Peter regaled the tale of his heroics.

"Yeah yeah _Mr-Smart-Guy_." Alex laughed as the bus stopped at Peter's house.

"Aunt May I'm home! And I brought Alex and Gwen over!"

"How was your expo dear?" Aunt May asked from the kitchen.

"It was great! We'll be in the lab!" Peter said over his shoulder.

"I'll be leaving in a moment, but there is meatloaf in the fridge and some macaroni, help yourselves."

"Thanks Aunt May!" Peter said climbing the steps.

"Good luck at work!" Alex added following him.

"Have a nice day, Mrs. Parker. Gwen smiled shyly and walked after the boys.

"Oh Peter! Before I forget, remember to lock the kitchen door when you go out?"

"Sure thing aunt May!" Came his muffled reply.

"Kids..." Aunt May smiled.

* * *

The basement of the Parker's modest house is a small room packed to the brim with boxes on one side, with a large space for the equipment Uncle Ben brings home to clean. A space was cleared out in one corner with a fold up table, stacked with a chemistry set. Along the side of the wall were weird objects, either small contraptions or vials of odd liquid.

Peter pulled on some gloves and walked over to his _'lab'._ He lifted up a pistol like paintball gun, with a lot of strange objects attached. Where the paintballs would usually go, a thick tube ran from a small container filled with a pale blue liquid.

"I finally figured out how to keep it stable enough!" He said enthusiastically. "Let me show you!"

Peter took aim at a very used dart board on the wall and pulled the trigger. A small ball sprang out of the gun with a _Tship!_ sound. It hit the target and bounced off. It ricocheted around the room a few times until a small crash signaled the projectile's final resting place.

"Now watch this!"

Peter pulled a handle on the gun back and turned the nozzle a few times. He took aim again and only this time instead of a blueish ball, a thin line of cord shot out of the tip of the gun, attaching to the dartboard with a sound like a guitar string.

"Wow! That's great Peter!" Gwen asked and walked over, plucking the cord. "What is the tensile strength on this?"

"I'm glad you asked! Peter smiled and gestured for Alex to come over. "Hey, mind trying to break that cord for me?"

Alex took hold on the cord and tugged. It held.

"Thank you! Thank you! Hold the applause!" Peter smiled and spun around in his chair.

"Neither of us were planning to applaud." Alex joked. They sat at the table documenting the growth of the bacteria and generally working on their project. Halfway through Alex had to leave because his father needed help.

Gwen and Peter worked for a while before they both got bored.

"I'm gonna go make some coffee. You want any?" Gwen asked softly.

"Uh, yes please." Peter said tinkering with his contraption with a small screwdriver. A frown formed on his face and he stuck out his tongue slightly, the exertion clear on his face.

With a wistful sigh Gwen walked up the steps.

Peter didn't even notice the small blue spider suspended from the ceiling, that fell on _**Gwen's**_ shoulder.

 _Maybe if I loosen this bolt, I can get a thicker line. If I add a small wheel here, that should make adjusting the size of the thickness of the projectile._ Peter thought and stood up, he walked over to his Uncle's area and looked around for something he could use.

Finding what he was looking for he spotted the Oscorp spider cages Uncle Ben was cleaning. His eyes widened when he noticed that there was a big crack in the glass box.

The spider cage had many divided spaces where a spider sat, all were color coded. He noted the hole only spanned two of the enclosures. One was marked with a blue sticker and the other with a red one. He heard a crash from upstairs and snapped up, only to feel a sharp sting on the back of his neck.

"OW!" Peter screamed in pain as he smacked his hand on the place the fiery feeling was now pulsing from. His hand came away with the crushed body of a red spider. He looked at the cage and noticed the other broken enclosure was marked with a red sticker.

 _Fascinating._ Peter thought, and promptly passed out.


	2. Chapter 2: Trial and error

**Author's notes: Whelp. It seems my page breaks don't work. And that's how we learn.**

 **Disclaimer: I still don't own Spider man, and I'm still not making any money. Regards Mr. Author.**

* * *

 **Chapter 2:**

 _ **"Trial and Error"**_

* * *

 **2014**

Blinding light is not the most pleasant thing to wake up to. Definitely. Peter groaned as the muffled voices of people came from all around him.

He opened his eyes groggily.

"Aunt May? Is that you?" He asked. His head felt like it was going to split open. Instead of his aunt, he saw a man in a police uniform. That woke him right up.

"Captain Stacy!" The cop yelled up the stairs. "He's awake!"

From the top of the steps a middle aged man with platinum blonde hair and weary blue eyes could be seen, silhouetted by the blaring glaze of a dozen flashlights.

Peter sat up and held his head as it throbbed in pain. Captain Stacy kneeled so that he was eye level with Peter and then hugged him close to his chest.

"I'm sorry for your loss, son..." he said.

Peter's eyes widened and he leapt up the steps. He saw a crowd of policemen near the kitchen door, they were huddled around something. Two broken mugs lay on the kitchen floor. Gwen was sitting on a sofa in the living room where two paramedics were doting about her.

"Your Uncle came home earlier today where he surprised a burglar..." Captain Stacy ran a hand through his hair. "It was over quickly. Nothing was taken. A neighbor heard shots fired and we dispatched a squad car."

Peter leaned against the wall behind him. His eyes wide with shock. It felt like he couldn't hold himself upright.

 _It's a dream it's all a bad dream._ He thought as tears bit at his eyes. He wiped furiously at his cheeks and ran from the house. Not bothered by where he was going, Peter ran and ran.

 _This is wrong! So wrong!_ Peter skidded to a halt when he saw that he was all the way across the street. A woman watched on in frightened awe at the boy that almost crashed through her window.

 _What the hell?! You just ran three blocks in less than a minute?! Say something cool..._

"Uh… Hi."

 _Smooth._

Peter turned and ran.

* * *

"We've got more than enough evidence here Captain Stacy. Bullet residue, fingerprints, shoe marks. You name it, sir. This guy was clumsy."

Captain Stacy walked over to where Aunt May was sobbing on the couch. He grimaced, and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Mrs. Parker, I promise you, I will do everything in my power to bring the man who did this to justice."

He sat down next to her on the couch. "I give you my word."

She looked up, here eyes red with tears. "Where's Peter?"

"Hi Aunt May.." Peter said from the door. Aunt May jumped up and hugged him as if she could never let go. And in a way, she never would.

"Mrs. Parker, I don't want you to sleep in this house alone tonight. We have more than enough room. Why don't you come and stay with us for a while?" Captain Stacy stood behind them, softly putting a hand on Aunt May's shoulder.

"A generous offer, Captain, but we wouldn't want to impose..." Aunt May started, but Captain Stacy cut her off.

"My wife could use the company. And call me George, please." He smiled and guided them both to his car.

From the backseat Peter watched as Captain Stacy walked inside the house and a few minutes later both he and Gwen walked out. Gwen got in the back with Peter. As they drove off into the city, Peter watched his uncle's body covered in a black bag and moved into a van.

* * *

Peter woke up and took a moment to realise where he was. He was in Gwen's brother's bed. It wasn't a dream. Uncle Ben really was dead. Gwen walked up to the door and saw he was awake.

She sat down on the foot of the bed and fumbled with her hands. "Dad said I should stay home... to keep you company you know."

Peter fell back on the pillow. His eyes were sore and his head pounded. He didn't want to get up. He didn't want to be alive. Nothing could possibly get him out of bed.

"I made coffee... I didn't think you'd want to get out of bed, so I made you a cup..." She put a red cup on his dresser. She paused for a moment, then fighting some internal struggle, she hugged him. Peter stiffened for a moment. Then he broke. All of his resilience faded and he cried. He sobbed and sobbed into Gwen's shoulder. His body shook as it was racked with agony unlike anything Peter thought possible.

* * *

Peter stood in front of the mirror in what had become his room. He was dressed in his best clothes. A suit and black bow tie. He loved wearing this suit, because it belonged to his dad, when he was that age. It made him feel sharp.

It never felt more wrong.

Aunt May came into the room and looked him up and down.

"You look so sharp..." her eyes were red and puffy. She hugged Peter close for a moment. "We have to get going."

Peter picked up his mp4 player and his used up earphones. Through the car ride to the cemetery and the service he listened to music. He didn't hear a single word.

When they moved outside, he finally removed the earphones and paused his music. The sound of silence. It just seemed appropriate. A man in a black suit walked up and started speaking.

"Ben Parker was a good man. The best man I ever knew. The world would deal him a hand that any other would scorn and get aggravated by, but not Ben. He would smile, and fold. Ben was the type of man who would never turn his back on anyone. He wouldn't tolerate any injustice. He was the man you called when you needed anything. He was the friend who stood by you. Ben Parker-"

Peter shut him out at that point.

* * *

Peter got in the back of Captain Stacy's car. Gwen sat next to Peter in the back and Aunt May sat in front with Captain Stacy.

Peter had his earphones in again. The buildings swept past. It was strange how dead he felt inside. Gwen was gazing at him sadly. She reached out and took his hand in hers. He looked up at her and she smiled softly at him in reply.

* * *

 **One week later**

Gym Period was Peter's _least_ favourite part of school. He put down his book bag and got his Gym clothes from his locker. A high roof with a skylight was what counted as ventilation in this room, but it definitely disappointed. As Peter was tying his shoelaces Flash Thompson and Kenny Kong came in.

"Hey Kong! Look who decided to show up for school again!" Flash sneered.

 _Not this please. Not now._ Peter thought and tried to put his things in the locker as fast as he could. He moved to grab his Science handbook when it was snagged away.

"Nah uh uh, Puny Parker. This is Gym class. No reading." Flash sneered as Kenny laughed. "You want the book Puny Parker?"

Flash made an evil grin and threw the book up through the open skylight.

"Fetch." Flash pushed Peter hard, but Peter didn't even flinch.

Flash's eyebrows leapt up with surprise, but he just said: "Freak!", and threw his water out on Peter, drenching him. Kenny and Flash laughed and walked out of the room.

Peter wiped the water out of his eyes and looked at the skylight. He groaned and looked around the room. He decided that the easiest thing to do would be to climb on the locker and then try to reach from there. He easily climbed up the locker and saw that his book was in easy grasping range. Only a few meters up.

 _Never easy, is it?_ Peter groaned and reached as much as he could, but he couldn't reach.

 _Maybe if I jump..._

Peter readied himself, and bent his legs and leapt. A lot higher than he thought. Peter shot through the skylight like a cannonball. Flying through the air. Peter landed on the roof of the school building with a crunch of gravel. On the football field his class looked up at him, pointing. And cheering. Peter stood in shock, and walked over to the side of the roof. Using the fire escape he climbed to the field.

"All right people." Coach Allen said, making a note on his clipboard. "We're done with the curriculum, so I thought we might as well play a mock game."

"Football coach?" Flash asked excitedly.

"Yeah football, but not your Yankee pigskin football, we're going to be playing the beautiful game!" Coach Allen held up a soccer ball and span it around on his finger.

"Thompson, Rand you're captains. Pick your teams." Coach said.

Randy looked at Peter a moment then said:

"I choose Parker."

"WHAT?!" Flash asked incredulously. "Puny Parker?! You actually _want him on your team?!"_

"Yeah. You see that jump? I did. I want to see what he's got besides book smarts." Randy smiled.

"He can't even climb a rope!" Flash said.

"That's enough Thompson! Pick your team get to it.

* * *

Peter dribbled the ball, bobbing and weaving easily through the other players. He kicked the ball and scored yet another goal for his team.

Coach Allen blew a whistle and paused the video he had been watching through the whole match.

"That's it. Time's up. Get dressed and get to class." He said walking off.

"Whoah Parker! That was radical man!" Rand said giving Peter a fistbump. "If you were born a Brit, you'd be playing league for sure!"

"Puny Parker couldn't play a league if it bit him in the ass!" Flash yelled and threw his water bottle directly at Peter's head.

Peter felt a strange buzzing in the back of his head and felt the need to reach behind him. He caught the water bottle easily.

Flash's Jaw dropped. Peter smiled and walked up to Flash.

"Flash. Word of advice." Peter leaned in so that only Flash could hear. " _Puny parker died with his uncle. Don't mess with me."_

Peter shoved the water bottle in Flash's chest. A bit too hard. There was a sharp snap and Flash cried out in pain. He looked at Peter with fear.

"You broke something!" He screamed.

Peter stood in shock as everyone ran over.

"Jesus Parker..." Kenny said as he helped Flash up.

"I didn't mean-" Peter started, but swallowed his words. He turned around and ran.

"Peter wait!" Gwen tried to shout after him, but he was already gone.

* * *

Peter sat on a jumbotron in Times Square. He can jump two stories with little to no effort, break ribs with ease, and, apparently, stick to walls.

 _Aunt May is going to freak out. I didn't mean to hurt Flash…it just sort off… wait. This is a good thing!_

Peter stood up.

 _I can play football! Show Flash and his goon squad the real Peter Parker! No... That could give me away. I need something to do. Someone to take my anger out on amazing._

Across the street an alarm rang and two thieves ran out of a Jewellery store.

 _I could always... nah. I would make a terrible thief._

Peter leapt off the building landing on the ground without a flinch. He walked into a dim alleyway where he saw a flier patched to a wall:

 _"Anger issues? Suppressed rage? Join MMA cage fighting today! If you're good enough to make league, you could win thousands!"_

 _Money is a good starting point._ Peter smirked.


	3. Chapter 3: Along came a spider

**Disclaimer: Wow. I got my first ever follower! That's amazing! Thanks so much to ggboyking, you made my day, sir!**

 **Even though my writing talent should warrant otherwise, I still don't own Marvel, Spider man, fight club, or Apple. That last one has nothing to do with the story though...**

 **I still make no money from this. ON WITH IT!**

* * *

 **Chapter 3:**

 **"** _ **Along came a spider..."**_

* * *

 **2014**

The building was red mason, dilapidated and bland. The only thing that set it apart from it's neighbors, was the cheering and screaming coming from inside.

Peter approached a set of heavy green doors, the signs of rust and decay evidence of the age. Gingerly Peter entered the doorway.

The hallway Peter found himself in wafted with cigarette smoke and the stink of alcohol. The people he found inside smelled worse. At the end of the hallway, a set of heavy steel doors barely blocked the violent cacophony bursting through the holes in the walls. A giant of a man in shades sat on a chair near the doors.

 _Alright Peter, just pretend like you belong here._ Peter thought.

He walked up to the double doors and the bouncer stepped in front of him.

"Go home kid. Adults only."

Under his mask, Peter smirked.

* * *

Tyler Durden had to admit. His MMA chain gym had come a long way from making soap. He stared out at the huge roofed arena ending with a mere concrete circle on the floor. The stands were packed with spectators cheering in blood curdling guffaws. He gazed on the concrete slab where two grown men were pummeling each other to bloody pulps. He smiled at his life's work come to fruition.

Then there was a crash from the entrance.

The double doors sprang open and through the gaping hole his bouncer came flying.

"What the?!" He said as he stood up out of his seat. His bouncer smacked to the ground and skidded to a halt near the ring.

In the glow of the hallway outside a figure stood, the pale yellow light casting a long shadow ahead of him.

"I heard this was a Fight Club. I didn't expect the bouncer would be in on it though."

The figure wore shin high red sneakers over blueish pants. He wore a sleeveless red hoodie and a bright blue jersey. A red ski mask hid his face, and where his eyes would be he wore blacked out cup goggles.

The crowd stood in shocked silence. Then they thundered into cheers and boos and whistles. They threw popcorn and chucked bottles at his head.

 _Rough crowd._ Peter thought as he dodged another culinary projectile. He bent his knees and jumped into the ring, cracking the concrete slightly as he landed.

"Any takers?" Peter asked with a lot more confidence than he felt. A man stood up from the crowd and walked over to the ring. The crowd started chanting, slowly.

"Cage... Cage... Cage... Cage..."

The man was a whole Peter taller than Peter.

The crowd's cheering became louder and louder, ever more desperate as the figure named Cage walked closer to Peter in the ring.

"Cage... Cage... **Cage... Cage... CAGE… CAGE…** ** _CAGE! CAGE! CAGE!_** _"_

Cage pulled off his thick leather jacket and threw it to the ground. He was wearing a yellow tank top and bright blue Jeans. A heavy chain acted as a belt. He walked up to Peter and cracked his fingers.

"You're a big guy. Let's see what you got..."

The man yelled and came running up at Peter wildly swinging his fists and trying with all his might to get in a hit. Surprised by the ferociousness of his opponent's attacks it was all Peter could do not to get hit.

He dodged a right hook and then a left cross, then he fell to his back to dodge a vicious kick.

 _Hey! I'm pretty good at this!_

"What's wrong? Your skills trapped in that cage with you?" _Oh gosh that was so bad. I have to get better at quips!_

Peter thought just as a huge fist collided with the side of his head. His cup goggles shattered on impact and stars sparkled in his field of vision.

 _Ow. Monologue later._ Peter thought and dodged another swipe. The man stood back, then charged. He raised his hand as if to punch, but Peter felt the danger coming from below him. He jumped over Cage as he made a sliding tackle. While upside down in the air Peter swung his fist careful to pull the punch, and accidentally knocked the guy unconscious.

Cage hit the floor with an anticlimactic thud. Peter landed on the concrete floor gracefully and blew on his knuckles. The crowd sat in stunned silence. Then they cheered. More and more people came in and had a go at Peter, but he put them down easily. Then they came in twos. Then fours.

It became overwhelming. There was danger from all sides. Peter had to bob and weave and jump around just to not get hit. He fell over. He was getting tired. Sweat dripped off his forehead.

 _They're everywhere! Well... everywhere but up. Maybe... Let's hope I can grab onto something on the roof!_ Peter thought as he leapt high up in the air.

He couldn't see anything to grab, but as his hand brushed the ceiling he felt some tingling, like static. His hand stuck to the roof.

He hung there. Stuck to the ceiling.

The commotion down below stopped for a moment. Peter put his other hand against the ceiling and it stuck as well. He pulled his feet up, they too held firm.

Then, someone threw a chair.

Soon Peter was crawling along the ceiling like a bug, dodging chairs and bottles and all manner of things thrown at him. He was like a cat on a hot tin roof, weaving through the projectiles to stay up.

 _I can't take much more of this!_ Peter thought as his lungs burned. _Someone! Help!_

The speakers bleated to life as Tyler made himself heard:

"Everyone! HOLD IT!"

Everyone held it.

Tyler walked down to the floor, right under where Peter was gasping for breath and said: "Come down kid."

Peter dropped from the ceiling, landing in a ready pose, wheezing next to Tyler.

"What do I call you, kid?"

"Wha?" Peter asked as he gulped in mouthfuls of air.

" _What do I call you? What's your stage name?"_ Tyler frantically whispered.

"Uh, I don't know? I'm just sticking on things? Uh, Roof Walker?" _Wow. I am a moron._ Peter thought.

Tyler grabbed Peter's hand. He sensed no danger from Tyler though, so he let it happen. Tyler lifted Peter's hand high in the air and shouted:

"Let's hear it for PARKOUR!"

The cheering of the crowd was only second to the cheering in Peter's mind. His heart was racing. Adrenaline pumped through his veins like a sugar rush.

 _This is the greatest thing ever._ _Parkour huh? Peter Parkour? Ironic._

 _I like it._ Peter thought as the crowd chanted his new name:

"Parkour! Parkour! Parkour! Parkour!"

* * *

 **One week later**

Despite Randy's pleading, Peter didn't join the football or basketball teams. He didn't need the attention. He was the top player in a much better sport.

As Parkour he leapt around buildings and went to fight club every night. He'd climb out of his window at night while the Stacys slept and live life as he wanted.

 _Gotta get home quick._ Peter said and leapt up the fire escape. At his window, he jumped through and stuffed his Parkour suit in a secret place by the fire escape.

It was dinner time in the Stacy household, lasagna night. They all sat around the table in high spirits.

"Well, George, any news on the investigation?" Aunt May asked. "You've all been wonderful, but I'm aching to go home."

Captain Stacy smiled sadly and said: "We'll May, I have good news and bad news. Our people should be done by the end of the week. The man who broke into your home used experimental weaponry, things that use radioactive ammunition. The space should be decontaminated by now, but I'd rather be safe. It is an ongoing investigation after all."

"Speaking of ongoing investigations, I've been hearing rumours at the hospital. Rumours that there is a vigilante patrolling Manhattan!" Aunt May laughed at how ludicrous it sounded out loud.

Captain Stacy visibly stiffened before assuming a more rigid posture but he made an attempt to remain open.

"Well May, that is true. I won't deny it. We'd get a summons over the radio and by the time we get there, the crooks are bound in some sort of organic rope!" He scoffed.

Peter nearly choked on his lasagna.

"Sorry? Did you say _organic ropes?"_ He asked frantically.

"I know! Can you believe it?" George said shaking his head. "It's definitely not something I thought possible."

"What do you mean organic?" Peter asked.

Captain Stacy gave Peter a searching glance, almost like he suspected something.

"Well, they're made in a similar way that spider webs are. That's where this guy gets his nickname from. _The Spider."_

Peter stood up abruptly and walked to the door.

"I need some air." He said and walked out. He leapt down the stairs to where he hid his _Parkour_ suit behind a loose brick in the fire escape.

"I need to check on something..." he said as he pulled on the mask.

* * *

Peter landed on the roof of their next door neighbors, the Watsons, home. He stared at the two policemen chatting on their porch.

Silent as a whisper, Peter climbed down to the door that led from outside into the basement. He softly turned the key, and crept inside.

He walked over to the inside door, checking to make sure it was locked, Peter switched on the light.

He walked over to his lab.

"I KNEW IT!" Peter screamed. His web gun was missing and so was all his web fluid. Wet footprints led from the outside door to his lab and back.

He heard a sound from up stairs. Leaping on the ceiling he stuck as close as possible, hiding between the wooden beams, so as not to be seen. In walked a hooded figure, a mask on his face. Peter saw him look around a bit, and steeled his resolve.

Peter landed in front of the figure and pointed a finger at the figure's chest.

"You took something that doesn't belong to you. I want it back. And I have a very bad attitude towards _burglars_."

The figure made to run but Peter chucked a small web fluid vial at the figure's hand, sticking it to the door handle.

"I've got you now." Peter said.

The figure took off its hood, and slowly removed its mask. Short blonde hair spilled over the figure's shoulders as _she_ faced Peter.

"Hey Peter." Said Gwen.


	4. Chapter 4: And then there were two

**Disclaimer: First of all, I want to apologise for the horrendous first version of chapter 3, it was rushed, bland and if I'm honest sub par. I went back and wrote it better. Enjoy!**

 **On with it! I don't own Marvel, nor do I own Spiderman. I make no profit from this story, save writing experience and the love of fans.**

 **On with the story!**

* * *

 **Chapter 4:**

 _ **"And then there were two..."**_

* * *

 **2014**

The figure took off its hood, and slowly removed its mask. Short blonde hair spilled over the figure's shoulders as _she_ faced Peter.

"Hey Peter." Said Gwen.

Peter's jaw _dropped._

"Peter... Can we talk? Somewhere more than 20 feet away from armed policemen?"

Peter was making incoherent spluttering sounds.

 _Gwen is 'The Spider'?! She... She stole my web gun?! She looks really pretty in a skintight leotard... Why didn't she just ask me? She's been going out at night... sneaking around at god knows when... what if she got hurt?!_

"Peter..." Gwen took Peter's hand in hers. He snapped out of his reverie in an instant. He stared into Gwen's eyes.

 _Were they always that pretty?_ Peter thought as Gwen took his other hand.

"Peter... do you trust me?" She asked.

All worry faded from Peter's mind in that moment.

"Yes."

* * *

The people of New York city were used to strange things. The devil in Hell's Kitchen, The Avengers tower in uptown. That's why nobody really batted an eye while two figures were running up buildings and leaping great heights.

"What's the matter Peter, Can't keep up with a _girl?_ " Gwen teased as she did a graceful flip backwards and a backwards handspring, leaving Peter to wallrun and jump two buildings just to get close. Gwen laughed, and to Peter her laugh sounded musical.

Gwen bent her knees and did a triple axle, and spun off a nearby flagpole, landing gracefully on a building three stories up.

"I thought you called yourself _Parkour?_ I didn't think you just meant the part about ' _parking.'"_ Gwen smirked from her perch.

"You haven't seen anything!" Peter said and he leaped up to her in a single bound. Gwen smirked and removed Peter's web gun, she shot a line to the building across the busy New York streets and tugged herself to the top.

In the street below cars whirred by and honked at each other like mechanical animals.

Gwen perched on the side of the building, then said: "It's over Peter! I have the high ground!"

Peter nearly burst out in laughter. He pulled a frown and narrowed his eyes at her.

"You underestimate my power!" Peter said in his best mock angry voice. He moved back on the building to get a running start.

"Don't try it!" Gwen giggled.

Peter took a breath and ran with all his might he pushed down on his legs and gave the biggest jump he could. He flew through the air cheering in unadulterated joy as the wind whipped his hair.

Too bad he overshot.

The building Peter was heading straight for was a large apartment building, from this angle Peter would crash right into the fire escape. He'd survive, but it would probably hurt. A lot.

Peter closed his eyes and held his arms over his face, bracing himself for the impact. There was a series of varied _thwip!_ _sounds_ and instead of hard steel, Peter was caught in a giant web. He looked around wildly, until Gwen landed on the web next to him.

"Now we can talk." Gwen said.

* * *

Peter and Gwen lay next to each other on the web, a quiet alley below them. They were talking about inconsequential things, until Peter decided to ask the question he'd been wondering about all night.

"So you're _the Spider?_ This masked vigilante fighting crime on the streets?" Peter asked.

"Why?"

"Well, one thing is that my dad is a cop. I really look up to him. And being able to do the things I can..." she turned so that she lay facing him. "I thought I could make his job a bit easier."

"And my web-gun?"

"Well... the first time I went out, I used a pair of cuffs to nab the crook. He was a car thief, been following him for a while. Anyway, I knocked him out and cuffed him, but by the time the cops got there, he'd run away!" She laughed incredulously. "Anyway, I remembered about your weblines, so I uhm... _borrowed..._ your web gun and found the car thief again. I extended the muzzle radius, and webbed his hands to a wall." She demonstrated, webbing an offending section of wall with a wide, flat webshot.

"Anyway, I tampered with the web gun a bit, and didn't stop using it, it worked like a charm. I thought... while you're living at our place you wouldn't miss it."

"And when we moved back home?" Peter asked.

"Well... see I _thought_ I could reverse engineer the mechanism," She frowned. Her brows knotting together in frustration. "Turns out that is a very complicated contraption you built."

"I could always make another..." Peter said.

"Peter... why do you do it?" Gwen turned to Peter then, a questioning look in her eyes.

"Why do I do what?" asked Peter, unsuccessfully trying to play dumb.

"Why do you beat people up every night?" She pushed herself up on her elbow, so her body was raised.

"I... don't know." Peter sighed and lay down on the web. "Originally it was for money. That's why I went there in the first place. But then, _whoops!_ turns out Fight Club is a non-profit organisation."

Gwen's mouth opened and closed. She stared at Peter with a look akin to horror.

"It was mostly just for fun after that. Part of it was getting used to my abilities. But not really." He stroked a hand through his hair.

"I guess I just needed an outlet. You know?" He looked down, afraid of her seeing the tears in his eyes.

"After... uncle Ben... I... I needed a way to vent. That's what Fight Club is. A place for people with problems, to deal with those problems in a constructive and violent way." Peter looked up at Gwen. She was listening intently as they lay on the web.

Her eyes seemed to sparkle in the moonlight. At that moment the sounds of the bustling streets and honking taxis seemed the most romantic melody they had ever heard.

Something seemed to urge them closer, like magnets they drew closer to each other. Static seemed to dance between them, their lips a paper's width apart.

The moment their lips would have met was broken as police cars by the dozen whizzed under them in hot pursuit of a bright red sportscar.

Gwen quickly sat up, blushing bright, and removed a radio from her backpack.

"I tuned it to the one my dad has, I use it to track CIPs." She explained as the handheld radio burst to life.

"Can't it wait just a bit?" Peter asked.

 _ **"-suspect en route to Queensborough bridge wanted for multiple accounts of breaking and entering, robbery, and the murder of one Ben Parker."**_

"Peter just hold up a-" Gwen was cut off as Peter grabbed the web gun and leapt from her web, he landed right on the roof of a yellow cab, shattering the windows.

"Peter!" Gwen shouted.

* * *

Even without his Web gun, there was no way Gwen could have kept up with Peter. He jumped from moving cars and leapt onto building walls, whenever there seemed to be a lack of climbing material, he'd launch a web line, swinging after the wailing sirens. He was moving at a superhuman speed and soon caught up to the foremost police car.

"What the hell was that?!" Officer Jean DeWolff exclaimed when the roof of their car caved in with a _**crunch!**_ She moved to grab the firearm strapped to her leg but a hand smacked into hers keeping her from removing the gun.

"Keep your pants on and your hands on the wheel!" Misty Knight, her partner yelled and removed her own gun.

There was a flash of red and blue overhead and suddenly a figure landed on the roof of the stolen sports car.

"Things just got a whole lot more complicated..." Misty said as the figure punched a hole in the roof of the car.

* * *

Peter leapt from the police car onto the red sports car, the roof smacking in like tin foil. He pulled his arms up and slammed them down creating a hole in the roof of the car with little effort.

"WHAT THE SHIT?!" Yelled the driver and swerved the car to avoid a yellow cab.

Momentarily off balance Peter was flung into a nearby wall, smacking a hole in the masonry. With a growl like a dog he leapt up running with all his speed along the building.

Less than a block away the Queensborough bridge shone like a bastion.

 _I can't let him get to Queens!_ Peter ran even harder, his mere footsteps racked bricks from the wall and tore at his clothes.

 _Let's hope this works!_ Peter leapt high as he flipped from the last building, he pulled the webgun from his backpack as he went.

He aimed and fired. The tip of the web made contact with the wheel of the moving car, and all Peter had to do was keep hold of the gun as the web was wound up by the wheel.

Peter suddenly heard the web-gun make a creaking sound and grabbed hold of the web as it yanked him forward.

Up ahead the amount of web on the wheel caught against the car's rear axle. There was moment where time stood still and the wheel of the sportscar snagged.

 _Uh oh._ Peter thought as the car spiraled out of control yanking Peter right up with it. The out of control car twisted and then started rolling, heading right for a nearby car.

 _NO! Not on my watch!_ Peter pulled on the web with all his might launching himself between the two cars, Peter braced himself and held out his arms, catching the red car just in time.

He roughly threw the car to the ground and yanked off the door. People all around got out of their cars and watched as Peter ripped the man's seatbelt off and hoisted the thief in the air. He moved his arm back ready to punch the man when he heard a loud voice over a megaphone.

"That's enough!" DeWolff was standing with her gun aimed at Peter, flanked by the megaphone wielding Misty as more police cars raced to the scene screeching tires signaling when they came to a stop.

"Drop him!" Misty shouted while Peter turned to face the assembled police. Peter looked back to his uncle's murderer with utter contempt.

"I said drop him Spider!" Misty yelled over the megaphone.

That brought Peter back to his senses instantly. He dropped the perp and turned to face the NYPD.

"You think- wait I-" The only reply he got was the sound of their guns cocking.

"Ok." Peter said crouching down low.

"Put your hands in the air! Down on the ground now!" DeWolff yelled and three officers moved closer to where Peter stood.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Misty yelled.

Seeing no other option, Peter pulled the web-gun's trigger, yanking the gun from a cop as he flipped backwards, landing on a lamp post. He shot a webline at the top of the bridge pulling himself up and swinging around. He pulled hard and launched himself out towards the city. He shot off another webline and swung away.

"c-c-c-c-c-caught by the spider, man..." mumbled the crook.

"Didn't think he was real, man." He started laughing.

"C-Caught by the spider man! Got hit by the spider man!"

Misty lowered her gun as she watched the place this " _Spider_ " swang to.

"Strange times..." she said as the car thief was pulled towards a squad car.

As they dragged him along he sang quietly to himself.

 _"Spider Man, Spider Man, catch a car like Spider Man..."_

* * *

Peter shot off another webline, pulling himself up over a building. He aimed and pulled the trigger again, but instead of a webline the web-gun made a _crack! sound as web fluid creeped from every crack._

"AUGH!" Peter yelled as he flew into a water tower at high speed, smacking a large dent in the side. Peter fell to the ground as water started to leak from the hole.

He pulled his mask off and lay groaning on the roof.

 _Well Pete. Guess you can add "the Spider" to your growing list of names._ Peter sat up and shoved the broken web-gun and mask into his backpack.

* * *

"Peter?" Gwen's voice sounded sharp over the phone. It sounded like she had been crying.

"Yeah, uh hi. Are you home yet?" He asked. Looking at the inside of his room, the door was open and the lights were on, but nobody was inside.

"Yes. We saw you on the news. Where the hell are you?!" What Gwen didn't realise was that Peter was climbing in through his window at that moment.

"Uh.. I'm in my room.." Peter said, as he softly closed the window behind him.

"Funny." Gwen said as she terminated the call.

"So am I." Came a voice from right behind him. Peter spun around and only then noticed that Gwen sat on the roof of his room.

"What the hell were you thinking?!" Gwen asked whispering as loud as she could and grabbing Peter by the arms.

"I wasn't thinking. I'm sorry. I got him though." Peter smiled.

Gwen's eyes seemed to soften for a moment and then she grabbed him and hugged him as hard as she could.

"Aunt May has been worried sick." She said softly as she walked out of the room.

 _Oh great._

* * *

 **THE NEXT MORNING**

 _"-has become a city wide investigation, the NYPD has reportedly put out the warrant for the arrest of the masked vigilante known as the Spiderman. The family reportedly saved when this vigilante caught a runaway vehicle have made only one statement, and it is one if thanks. Next on the J3 network: Spider Man, Threat or Menace?"_

 _Man. I catch a car thief and people are calling me a menace? And the police want me arrested? Great. Parker luck in action._ Peter thought glumly as he chewed on his cereal.

"Peter dear!" Mrs. Stacy called from the kitchen. "You'd better run or you'll miss the bus!"

"Sure thing Ma'am!" Peter said as he slung his backpack over his shoulder and walked out.

Gwen caught up with him where he stood waiting at the bottom of the stairs.

"Did you hear?" She smirked. "Mom thinks we'll miss the bus."

"Miss the bus?" Peter said in mock horror. "How can we miss it..." he said as he pulled his red mask from his backpack.

"...If we're not taking it?"

* * *

As the final school bell rang Peter and Gwen walked outside in friendly silence. They turned a block and moved into an alleyway, where Peter pulled on his mask, and Gwen pulled on hers.

After running a few blocks and climbing the nearest skyscraper, they slowed down and sat on the edge of the building, eating hot dogs they bought along the way.

"We'll probably move out soon, seeing as the guy's been caught now." Peter said between mouthfuls of hotdog.

"I am gonna miss walking home with you though."

"Yeah." Gwen sighed and sat backwards, leaning against the slanted roof of the skylight.

"What're you going to do about the whole _Spiderman_ thing?" Gwen asked tilting her head slightly.

"As far as I'm concerned, that part of my life is done. I think it'll be best. For everyone." Peter said. Gwen looked like she was about to say something when an explosion in the background drew their attention.

Gwen took the radio out of her backpack, immediately in response mode.

 _ **"Gas line explosion in midtown, 34th street, dispatch do you copy?"**_

"Hey Peter…" Gwen asked pulling on her mask.

"This looks like a job for Spider Man."

* * *

...AN

 **Wow! That was fun! I really like how this chapter turned out. The next three or so are just going to be Peter finding his balance as Spiderman. There are going to be mostly petty crimes and things, and the story is going to basically be the origin of Peter's web shooters. After that I have plans for both the Heroes for Hire, and the first three villains in Spidey's rogues gallery.**

 **Please leave a review and tell me how I can make the experience better for you guys! Anyway, more next Sunday!**

 **Alons-y!**

 **-The Author**


	5. Chapter 5: Browsing the Web

**Disclaimer: Marvel has yet to send me my paycheck and acceptance as supreme overlord of all things Spiderman. I still don't own Spiderman or any related properties.**

 **Hey everyone! Mr. Author here, I just wanted to thank the amazing response I got from everyone! Your reviews really are a tremendous help to me and I sincerely appreciate the support!**

 **In particular I want to thank** _ **highlander348,**_ **your input is helping immensely!**

 **In any case one reviewer noted that Alex had been missing in the last few chapters, and I just wanted to reassure everyone that this is not an oversight. There is a very nefarious reason for this and yes it does have to do with his namesake in USM.**

 **Anyway... you didn't come here for Author's notes... enjoy...**

 **-Mr. Author**

* * *

 **Chapter 5:**

 _ **"Browsing the web..."**_

* * *

 **2014**

"Everyone stay clear! The area is not safe!" A fireman yelled as he tried to keep the crowd around the burning building at bay.

The police had set up a barricade while the fire department were doing all they can to put out the roaring fire.

" _HELP!"_ Came the scream of someone from the top of the building. On the roof three people could be seen, gagging in the smoke.

"Raise the ladder!" A fireman yelled. As the hydraulic ladder raised closer to the roof, a second explosion racked the building, momentarily throwing the ascending fireman off balance and causing him to topple off the side.

He yelled in fear as he clutched the side of the ladder.

"Hey? What's that?" Someone from the crowd asked when a small crash resounded from the top of the building across the street.

A flash of red and blue followed by a flash of white flew across the gap spanning the buildings.

"It's a bird!" Yelled one onlooker.

"It's a drone!" Said another.

"What is this? The nineties?" Asked another.

"Wait! It's Spiderman!" A fireman cheered.

* * *

Peter leapt from the building he was standing on right into the scalding heat pouring in waves off the burning building.

Gwen was less than a second behind him.

"I'll take care of the fireman!" Peter yelled, doing a midair flip he landed on the wall of the burning building. In the moment he wanted to dismount, another explosion thundered through the cheering of the crowd.

A sinkhole opened up right under the back of the firetruck and it began to sink, toppling towards the crowd.

"I've got it!" Gwen yelled, landing next to the firetruck, bracing against it's side. Gwen groaned in exertion as the full weight rested on her shoulders. Under her feet the concrete cracked.

Not wasting a moment, Peter dismounted from the wall and grabbed the fireman. Using the ladder Peter swung up towards the roof.

Down on the ground some people from the crowd and the remaining authorities helped Gwen to hold the firetruck.

Peter grabbed the fireman and a man standing by and leapt to the wall, running down to the ground. Two more times he made the trip carrying the people to safety.

On the ground he moved to help Gwen, but a woman from the crowd screamed: "Wait! My daughter's still in there!"

"Where?" Peter asked hurriedly.

"Third floor! That corner room there!"

Not waiting a second Peter leapt through a window smashing it in. The room creaked and groaned, everything was covered in ash and soot. Peter heard crying from the bathroom, but the door was locked.

"Stand back!" Peter yelled and smashed his hands through the sides of the door. He took hold and ripped the door off its hinges. He rushed inside and found a little girl huddled in the corner.

"Hey! I'm here to help!" Peter said as he moved to the little girl. She recoiled and held her hands over her face.

"It's ok!" Peter said. "I'm here to save you."

The little girl looked up. Her face was smeared with ash and soot.

"Mommy told me not to trust strangers." She said.

 _Well, she's obviously just in shock._ Peter thought.

"It's okay..." Peter said and bent down near her. She flinched.

"I'm Spiderman." Peter said holding out his hand for her to shake. She looked up at this. The building was groaning like a wounded dog, soot fell in gentle drifts from the roof.

"Are you the Spiderman that saved my Aunt Sally from those bad men last Friday?" She asked, wiping her hand over her eyes.

"Yeah!" Peter smiled. "We really have to go.. what's your name?"

"Cindy." She said. Peter bent down and picked her up. He moved but suddenly his spider sense flared. The door fell in and he could sense the roof was only moments from collapsing.

"Hold on Cindy." He said looking around the room. "I have a really bad idea."

* * *

Gwen's hood was soaked in sweat. Her muscles were groaning in agony as she held the truck up.

 _Please Peter... hurry..._ she mentally asked him.

Then the unthinkable happened. The roof of the building crashed in.

"NOO!" Gwen yelled as she thought of her best friend, crushed under the building.

Then, there was a thundering boom. Bricks flew from the top of the building as something red and blue fell through the ash and smoke.

Peter landed with a crunch on the concrete below, smacking a crater into the sidewalk. Cindy toppled out of his arms, coughing and covered in soot, but otherwise alright.

"Peter!" Gwen exclaimed with relief. Seeing Gwen struggle, Peter leapt up and helped her hold the fire engine. Together they strained and pushed it up out of the crater.

They collapsed against the firetruck, gasping. Peter looked at Gwen. His suit was burnt, ripped in places, and had a huge hole in the shoulder. One of the lenses of his cup goggles were cracked.

"Y-y-ou, ok-kay?" Gwen gasped with Peter breathing heavily by her side.

"Never... better..." Peter said between gulps of air.

Suddenly a pair of police cars swerved onto the scene, Sirens blaring. Officers Jean DeWolff and Misty Knight stood with purpose as Officer Knight pulled out a megaphone.

"Spiderman!" She yelled and DeWolff pointed her gun at Peter. "Hands in the air! I'm going to restrain you! Do NOT resist or we will respond with deadly-" officer Knight never got to finish her sentence as one of the police on scene stood in front of Peter and Gwen. He splayed his arms out wide.

"What the hell do you think you're doing! Stand down!" Misty yelled over the megaphone.

"Can't do that ma'am." The cop said and stood his ground. "These two just saved at least half a dozen lives today. Not to mention their other heroics."

"Officer Carter, stand down or I'll have your badge!" DeWolff yelled.

Another policeman stood up and placed himself next to officer Carter. More and more policemen and eventually fireman, and even random members from the crowd stood between the wasted vigilantes and the NYPD.

"We should run." Gwen said. She and Peter got up and ran at full speed. They leapt high in the air, aiming to land on a building across the street.

Seeing the blue and red streak, DeWolff opened fire.

* * *

Peter collapsed on the roof of the building with a cry of pain. His spider sense was still fuzzy from the fire, and he hadn't managed to dodge all the bullets in time.

Gwen landed next to him, staying close to the gravel as the last few shots pelted the wall.

"Oh shit..." she said, removing her mask and tattered hood. Peter lay on the ground holding his left leg. The bullet went straight through his calf and shin.

"Okay Gwen. Think." She opened her backpack and dug around. _YES!_ She though as she removed one of the extra web fluid containers. She held it over Peter's leg and cracked it open. The web fluid started pouring out immediately, she quickly wrapped the makeshift bandage around Peter's leg.

 _Temporary fix. But it works._ Gwen softly picked up Peter and leapt up off the roof.

* * *

When Peter came to he was in Gwen's bed. Starting he nearly leapt out of bed when two soft hands pushed him back down.

"Peter, you have a gunshot wound. I need you not to move." Came Gwen's soft voice. She was wearing her costume and a pair of latex gloves.

It was at this moment Peter also noticed that he wasn't wearing any pants. He recoiled and pulled up the blankets to his neck and blushed furiously.

"I had to remove the pants to properly clean the wound." She said and tucked a hair behind her ear. She lifted the blanket to Peter's leg, so he could see the damage.

The bottom half of his leg was tightly wrapped in bandages. Spots of red could be seen where the wound bled through the fabric.

"You heal pretty fast, you should be back to normal by next week. But until then you won't be leaping any tall buildings in single bounds." She smiled and sat down next to him.

"Your super strength should allow you to walk and run like a normal human being." She folded her hands in her lap.

"Thanks Gwen. I don't know what I would do without you." He smiled. "Did anyone see us come in?"

Gwen's eyes widened and she quickly checked her watch. She ran from the room only to return a few minutes later with a change of clothes for Peter.

"I'll dress in the bathroom." She said and closed the door.

Peter stood up from the bed and saw what was left of his costume in the mirror. He sighed.

 _I'm going to need a new one._ He thought as he quickly got dressed.

* * *

That night at dinner Aunt May announced that they'd be moving back home the next day. Everyone knew this was coming but it was still sad. Gwen and Peter were obviously close, but Aunt May and Mrs. Stacy had grown quite close as well.

Peter sat on the roof of the apartment building and breathed in deeply. Gwen came and sat next to him. There was that instant magnetic attraction again.

Peter recoiled slightly.

 _Whenever I'm around Gwen these days I feel... drawn to her somehow._ He looked at her. Somewhere in the pit of his stomach something felt off.

 _Was I always this attracted to her? I definitely can't remember that._ Gwen seemed to notice something wrong and lightly touched his shoulder.

"Peter?" She asked, tucking a hair behind her ear.

"Are you attracted to me?" Peter asked. A moment later he realised what he said and quickly backpedaled.

"What I mean is: ever since we started doing... all _this_ , I have been feeling drawn to you somehow." He turned so he was facing her completely. "Do you feel the same way?"

Gwen smiled. She looked up at him with something foreign in her eyes. "Yes." She said softly, leaning towards him slightly.

"Oh that's great!" Peter said in obvious relief. "I think it has something to do with our powers."

Gwen looked like she'd just been slapped. She stared at Peter with a hurt shimmer in her eyes. "What do you mean?" She asked with an unsteady voice.

"Well," Peter started. "I think that along with our other powers, the spider bites must have affected our hormone excretions as well."

"What do you mean?" Gwen asked, her eyes stinging.

"See the thing is: I was definitely not attracted to you before I got my powers, but now it seems to be a constant thing. I-," it was at that point that Gwen just ran away from Peter. Unbeknownst to Peter, tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Was it something I said?" Peter asked oblivious.

* * *

Gwen didn't wait for him the next day, and Peter felt like taking the bus. He couldn't put all his weight on his wounded leg yet, so climbing buildings was out of the picture.

 _What was it that could have upset Gwen that much?_ Peter thought to himself. Blankly staring out the window. _I was being purely logical. I didn't mean to upset her._

He looked around to the other kids in the bus. He saw Alex sitting alone in the very back.

 _Oh gosh! I haven't spoken more than a few words at school with Alex since the day uncle Ben died._ Peter thought guiltily. _In my defense I had something kinda big to deal with._

He walked over and sat down next to Alex, who didn't even look up. He was listening to music and stared blankly out ahead of him.

"Hey man, I really need your help with something." Peter said and poked Alex on the shoulder. Alex looked over at Peter with a look of utter disdain.

"What do you want? Am I finally good enough for you again? Or is it just because Gwen ditched you?" He asked with venom in his voice.

Peter flinched.

"What is your problem?" He asked, frowning.

"What's _my problem? What the hell is up with you?! My best friend doesn't say more than a sentence per day to me outside school despite the fact that we have been living across the hall from each other for the past month!"_

His voice was trembling and he was obviously furious.

"And the worst part? You didn't even notice! And then, whenever I go over to see if we can hang out, I hear you're out with Gwen!" Now his anger was completely unhindered.

"I HAD THE WORST MONTH OF MY LIFE! AND EVERY TIME I WANT TO TALK TO MY _BEST FRIEND ABOUT IT, I HEAR HE IS OFF HANGING OUT WITH THE GIRL I HAVE BEEN IN LOVE WITH FOR YEARS!"_ _Alex's shouting drew the attention of every person on the bus. Some kids were whispering and others were taking videos. Peter recoiled from this verbal onslaught, his eyes widening._

"Alex, I-" Peter started but Alex cut him off.

"Save it." He put his earphones back in. Peter got up and walked to his previous seat at the front of the bus.

"Nice going puny Parker." Flash jeered as he walked by. "Now you really have no friends."

* * *

Peter was avoided like the plague. As usual. But today it was even worse, because Alex was ignoring him and when they occasionally made eye contact, Alex only responded with a look of contempt.

It was worse with Gwen. She didn't make eye contact with anyone. In all of their classes she went to sit with Anny Zinni, a shy Italian girl. Peter could tell from where he sat though that Gwen had been crying. Her eyes were red and puffy.

Peter couldn't wrap his head around it. He could see why Alex was mad, but he genuinely couldn't see why Alex was as mad as he was. And Gwen was a whole other story. He couldn't understand why it hit her that hard. He went through their conversations over and over again but couldn't find anything that would upset her as much as she obviously was.

 _You know. Unless- nah that's crazy. Gwen wouldn't like_ ** _me_** _. She's got so many better choices._ Peter shook his head to clear it.

"Penny for your thoughts Mr. Parker?" Mr. Daniels was Peter's health teacher. He had short brown hair and was the youngest teacher in the school.

"Oh, yeah, yeah." Peter startled.

Mr. Daniels just smiled. "Good! Wouldn't want you drifting off. Now! Today we'll be discussing methods of dealing with grief."

* * *

Peter carried the last bag from Captain Stacy's car into his and Aunt May's house.

"You're sure you'll be alright?" Captain Stacy asked.

"Quite." Aunt May smiled and stood against the doorframe of the front door.

"If you need anything, call. Alright?" He smiled.

Peter rushed down the stairs to his basement lab. Removing the broken web gun from his backpack.

 _Well, the problem was that the line pulled the mechanism right out. I could probably fix it. But maybe, I should improve it instead._

* * *

"Parker's journal. Web gun, entry number 17. I've used two of my uncle's air soft guns and created a wrist mounted version of my web gun. I've decided on this concept because it seems less threatening than a hand held pistol, and it allows for more freedom of movement during parkour sessions."

Peter strapped the two web-shooters to his wrists.

"I've made a new costume as well. Using loose fitting dancer's pants and a red second skin, to further allow civilians to easily recognise me, I stitched a spider figure to the chest of my suit. I also fixed my mask and added a pair of motorcycle gloves."

Peter strapped his boots tight against his legs.

 _Well Peter. Showtime._ He put his recorder in the secret place under his desk, and pulled on his mask.

* * *

"WHOOOOOOO-HOOOOOO!" Peter cheered as he swang along the New York skyline. He let go of the web-line and dive-bombed towards the ground. He spun around and pulled the trigger he put on his ring finger. Seamlessly the web connected with a nearby building and Peter pulled himself high into the air.

"Alright New York!" Peter said launching another web-line and swinging around the corner of a building.

A scream resounded from a nearby alley.

 _Showtime!_ Peter thought shooting a web in the direction of the sound. _Didn't I say that already?_

Peter saw a woman held against a brick wall by three thugs. He landed on the ground. A sharp pain rushed up his wounded leg.

 _CRAP! Forgot about my leg._ Trying not to wince Peter stepped forwards.

"Stop fiends!" Peter exclaimed.

The thugs turned around.

"Run. Before I gut you." A thug said and flicked open his switchblade.

Peter didn't waste a second and webbed the man to the wall. The other thugs stood more threateningly, one picking up a pipe. They both charged Peter. He quickly pulled off another web shot only to hear a squelching sound.

 _Not good!_ Peter leapt over a blow from one of the thugs and kicked him in the head, knocking him into a dumpster. The other one made a run for it until Peter knocked him out by throwing him with a nearby trash can.

"Please don't hurt me!" The woman whimpered and tried to cover her torn clothes.

"Where do you live ma'am?" Peter asked kneeling near her.

"Please don't hurt me..." she whimpered again.

"I'm not going to hurt you. I'm Spiderman. I'm the good guy." He removed a grey sweater from his backpack and gave it to her.

"Let's get you home." Peter said, removing a small bottle of web fluid, and filling his empty web shooters.

The woman looked up at him, shaking slightly. Peter gently picked her up to her feet.

"Hold on…" he said and launched a web-line at the roof.

* * *

 _ **"And in other news, the vigilante known as the 'Spiderman' has stopped a car jacking as his latest act of supposed heroics. We here at the J3FM have been asking ourselves, will this Spiderman be the Hero people are making him out to be? Or will he be remembered for a more sinister narrative? Let's discuss: Spiderman's Web of lies, next on the J3FM."**_

Peter switched off the radio on his cellphone and switched to music.

 _The Reckless and The Brave, by All Time Low. Seems appropriate._ Peter thought turning up the volume as he leapt from his perch on the side of a skyscraper.

 _Police cars? They seem to be rushing towards the bottom of that building. Wait! OMG! Yes! My first bank robbery! These guys are in for a treat!_

Peter shot a web-line against a nearby building launching himself into a triple axle.

He flew through the air and spun upwards. Shooting another web-line lower this time. Peter held on to the web and let gravity do the work, swinging in a slow arc. Letting go at the trough of his momentum Peter landed with soft precision in front of the bank.

The first police cars swerved onto the scene, immediately setting up a perimeter.

"Nobody move!" Came a voice from inside the bank. "I've got a hostage!"

 _Oh my god._ Peter recognised the bank robber. It was a very drunk Alex O'Hirn Sr. Peter leapt high in the air and landed next to the foremost police car.

"Captain Stacy! Whatever you do don't shoot! I know that man! His son is a friend of your daughter's."

"Listen Kid, I've got an arrest warrant with your name on it. Give me one reason not to do my job?" Captain Stacy loomed over Peter, nearly two heads taller than him.

"Because I've got an idea. Give me five minutes. That's all I need. And if it doesn't work I turn myself in."

Peter did a backflip landing behind captain Stacy.

"Five minutes!" He yelled, shooting a web-line and swinging up into the air.

Peter spun around and shot both webshooters, slingshotting himself through a window on the second floor.

The bank's inside was a large high roofed main area with a business area on the second floor. Peter quickly refilled his webshooters and ran down the stairs, where he came face to face with a masked robber. Before any sound could be made Peter knocked the robber out. He leapt up onto the sculpture in the middle of the room.

 _Okay. Five armed robbers. One of them outside. Okay. I can do this._ Peter leapt onto the roof of the bank crawling along the wall until he was right above one of the robbers.

He quickly webbed the man's mouth and the yanked him up by a web-line, webbing him to the ceiling. The next two robbers were near a window on the second floor, taking a smoke.

Peter descended from the ceiling by a web-line, when he was right above the two criminals, he webbed their faces and pulled them together, knocking them out instantly.

"Okay, there is a fire escape right along this walkway, make your way out of the building as fast as you can." Peter whispered to the awestruck hostages.

Another thug was keeping watch over the hostages in the main area, in clear view of the main window. Mr. O'Hirn was still occupied by the police so Peter jumped from the ceiling, landing on the perp with his good leg, and knocking him out.

Hearing the noise Mr. O'Hirn spun around and exclaimed in fright.

"What the hell?!" He asked as he pointed his gun at Peter.

"Mr. O'Hirn!" Peter yelled. "You don't want to do this!"

The elder man simply held the hostage close to his chest and nearly started sobbing.

"I have to! They... they killed Leira already. I can't loose Alex as well!" Then the unthinkable happened. He let go of the woman and put the gun to his own head.

Time seemed to stop for Peter. He jumped. The gun's trigger clacked. Peter shot a web. The bullet fired.

The web made contact.

The bullet snagged in the webbing just in time, the muzzle flash setting the webbing on fire.

 _Damn it! I forgot how flammable this stuff is!_ Peter thought but moved with the speed of a cobra, uppercutting his friend's father, making sure to pull his punch.

"How'd I do?" Peter asked as he walked over to Captain Stacy.

"It went about the best way it could have." The elder man said.

"But you could have gotten someone hurt. Maybe even yourself. You're still recovering from a bullet wound. Your Aunt wouldn't like this."

Peter's heart stopped.

"Wait. You... uh... I don't have an aunt…" he stammered.

"Spiderman, I put two and two together pretty fast. I was the best detective on the force. It's my job. And I know who your pretty little friend is as well. I recognised that web gun instantly. And you don't even mask your voice." Captain Stacy counted on his fingers as he went.

"Aaww man!" Peter said in exasperation.

"Listen to me, kid. I don't know why or how you can do the stuff you do, but what I do know is that you've been helping a lot of people. Good people. I'm going to retract the warrant on your arrest. But I need you to promise that you will not get Gwen hurt!"

Peter nodded solemnly.

"You have great power, kid. But with that power, comes a responsibility to do what is right. And so far you've been doing that."

Captain Stacy now stepped up and loudly said: "Let him leave!"

The police all lowered their guns, and the assembled crowd started applauding and cheering.

"Let's hear it for Spiderman!"

* * *

 **AN**

 **I really like this chapter. I won't even deny it. XD. I feel that that is something they never got right in the movies. Well, Homecoming comes pretty close, but for me, Spidey should be fighting street thugs and bank robbers.**

 **Now bear in mind, the super villains are part of my story, don't you worry, but I also really like the little things. It's a balance that I only found in the tremendous Spectacular Spider-Man series.**

 **Anyway, that's it for now. Until next time.**

 **Tally ho!**

 **-Mr. Author**


	6. Chapter 6: Shock Therapy

**Disclaimer: Spiderman, Marvel and all other properties you know and love are very much not mine. Though they tease me with their not-owned-by-me-edness.**

 **Welcome to chapter six! Whoop! I'm very happy to be writing, but bear in mind that I will be starting with exams this Friday, but I promise to post as often as possible. I'll try my best to adhere to my usual weekly chapters, but I can't promise anything. X(**

 **Without further ado, let's get to the story!**

 **Mr. Author**

* * *

 **Chapter 6:**

 _ **"Shock therapy"**_

* * *

 **2014**

 **"-reports flooding the** _ **Bugle Blog, J3 network,**_ **and** _ **J3FM**_ **radio station of Spiderman, allegedly stopping a bank robbery in the late hours of yesterday. However, eyewitness reports have claimed Spiderman was seen exiting the Bank, but not entering it. Is it possible that Spiderman was pretending to arrest his fellow crooks? Next on the J3 network:** _ **Spiderman: Backstabbing Bankrobber?**_

 **Let's discuss, only here at J3."**

"Good morning Peter." Aunt may said from the kitchen as Peter trudged down the stairs. "What do you do that makes you so tired?"

Peter plopped down at the table and yawned wide. Aunt May smacked him on the shoulder. She filled his plate with badly burnt eggs, and raw bacon.

"Gee thanks Aunt May!" Peter said, trying to look like he was enjoying the meal. Then he simply tried to look like it was edible. "It's... it's great." He gave his best smile.

"Oh Peter, it's my absolute pleasure. Now, I know I'm not the chef your uncle was, but I did catch a tip or two from Mrs. Stacy." She smiled and started to chew her own food.

Peter finished his breakfast and walked towards the door. He kissed Aunt May on the forehead as he passed.

"Tell you what Aunt May, how about I make breakfast tomorrow? You seem exhausted." Peter walked towards the door.

"Yes well, I have been working the night shift this past week, so I'm still not used to these hours." She yawned. "But it pays better. Enjoy your day sweetie!" She called as Peter walked to the bus stop. She looked over to the stack of bills on the counter. She sighed.

"We do need the money." She said as she stroked a hand through her graying black hair.

* * *

Peter got on the bus that morning, afraid of others becoming aware of his secret as Captain Stacy had.

Peter moved to the back of the bus and sat down, his back to the window as he pulled out an exam pad.

 _Webshooters._ He wrote down and underlined it. He quickly drew a sketch of his now signature accessories.

 _Possible improvements:_

 _Trigger:_

 _-Uncomfortable for heavier loads._

 _Palm mounted pressure pad?_

 _Ammo:_

 _-Runs out of fluid and gas_

 _Gas container in backpack, connected_

 _by tubes could resolve issue._

 _Some form of cartridge for webs?_

Peter encircled the last part and started drawing possible designs to implement these changes.

"So you're definitely applying then!" Came a cheery voice from right in front of Peter. He startled, nearly dropping his notepad.

The girl in front of Peter was a freshman like Peter.

"You're Deborah Right? Deborah Whitman?" Peter turned to face her and gave a smile.

"Applying for what?" Peter asked.

"The teen blogger post on the Bugle Blog?" Deborah said and removed her cellphone. She opened an app captioned " _bugle_ " on the forefront of the homepage was an article with a very bad and blurry picture of Spiderman. The article read:

 _"Help wanted!"_

 _We here at the Daily Blog have always been on the sharpest cutting edge when it comes to technology and advancements. Thus, it is our greatest pleasure to announce this competition! Any person under the age of eighteen can apply! The person who can feature the best content featuring that dastardly vigilante Spiderman will be given an official post on the Daily Bugle team! Happy hunting._

 _-J Johnah Jameson,_

 _editor-and-chief of the Daily Bugle_

 _*edited by Betty Brant_

"That's so cool!" Peter said, picking up his own cellphone.

"Not to mention the extra lunch money." Deborah smiled and scrolled down a bit.

"Money?" Peter asked. His spider-sense flared and he unconsciously dodged a spitball which hit the person directly behind him.

Flash and his goons sat awe struck as they now hit Alex in the head with a spitball. Alex slowly stood up and shoved his earphones in his bag.

"Not the day." He said and cracked his knuckles.

"Alex stop!" Peter said standing between them.

"I don't need you to keep ol' Rhino at bay! He's too much of a chicken to do anything anyway!" Flash stood up and pulled of his jacket.

Alex moved until his chest was against Peter's hand. Flash stood with his fists up.

"Move." Alex said. "Or I'm going to put you down."

Peter stood his ground and faced Alex.

"No." He said simply.

"Peter, this is your last chance. Either I beat on Flash or I break you."

"Yeah like you could even hit me!" Flash said and flung a fist. Peter caught it and pushed Flash back, not taking his eyes off Alex.

"Alex, you need to calm down." Peter said.

"Ok then." Alex said.

Peter's spider-sense flared.

Peter twisted his head as Alex's first hit went right past his ear. He only moved his head, avoiding jabs, crosses and a vicious uppercut.

Alex screamed in frustration and kicked. Peter did a backbend and caught Alex's foot right over his chest. Peter pushed Alex back, kipping up easily.

Alex landed on the backseat of the bus where he gave a cry. His eyes shone with fury as he charged at Peter.

"That's enough!" Everyone stopped and turned to the front of the bus where a teary eyed and furious Gwen stood. The silence was charged and thick. She walked past Peter and took Alex by the arm. They sat down at the back of the bus.

Peter plopped down in the seat next to Deborah. She stared at him, open mouthed.

"That was amazing." She stated. "How did you do that?"

"I... uh... took Jazz classes." Peter said and began scrawling on his exam pad again.

Deborah looked over at the drawing.

"These are really in depth!" She gasped. "It's like you've seen them up close..."

Peter's blood ran cold. _She just saw me beat up one of the most physically fit kids in school, with acrobatics a gymnast would envy! And now she knows I know how the webshooters work! Damn it! I need to keep my identity better!_

"Uh... it's because... I... helped him make them." Peter said. _Nice. Now if anyone wants to get at Spiderman they'll come knocking on my door._

Really?" Deborah asked wide eyed and with wonder.

"Uh...yeah. He's a... a friend of my Uncle's. Was, I mean." Peter added quickly.

"Oh well, then you've got this Bugle job in the bag!" Deborah said, with a slight edge to her voice.

"Yeah... yeah." Peter stuttered. "Yeah, oh yes. Yeah, definitely..." Peter paused for a moment.

"Why is that?" Peter asked curiously.

"Well you obviously have something nobody else could ever get. Pictures! Interviews! Peter that job is yours for the taking!" Deborah said and plucked her phone from her pocket. She started typing and swiping furiously.

"Hey wait!" Peter said. "What are you doing?"

"Well I had a whole article planned out. But there's no use now." She sighed.

"Hey I haven't even made anything." Peter said and stopped her from erasing anything else.

"It's no problem. Really. I've got my hands full anyway."

 _Ok then. I didn't even know about this thing. But Aunt May and I really could use the money._ Peter thought as the bus drove off to school.

* * *

"Conflict!" Mr. Daniels wrote on his blackboard.

"Mr. Thompson!" Mr. Daniels spun around and flashed the class a smile.

"Huh!" Flash started and looked up. A page of doodles stuck to where he was drooling in his sleep.

"Isn't that face conflict with the laws of nature?" Peter jibed from his desk.

"Funny, Mr. Parker." Mr. Daniels smiled. "The embarrassment I'm sure Flash is feeling at this moment is an excellent example of Social Conflict."

Flash glared at Peter who simply bowed his head and continued his sketch of his webshooters.

Mr. Daniels walked up to the board and wrote Social Conflict in big letters.

"Social conflict is conflict based in what a person does or how they act and how it contrasts with what society deems acceptable. Who can give another example of Social conflict?"

In the back of the class someone said: "Spiderman, because he acts in a way that would normally be frowned upon?"

Mr. Daniels smiled.

"Very Good! Yes! But to Spiderman we can also attach the other two forms of conflict: Physical Conflict and Emotional Conflict."

Mr. Daniels drew a picture of a mask on the board. It looked like Peter's, except that it had a web pattern all over it.

"Now, Physical is obvious, but who can tell me why Emotional Conflict can be associated with Spiderman?"

"Uhm... is it because he wears his pajamas where everybody can see them?" Asked Sally Avril her Jersey accent acutely portraying her indifferent disgust.

Mr. Daniels laughed softly. "Not exactly Sally, but we can mention another piece of his costume that distinctly portrays his Emotional Conflict."

He pointed to the mask he drew on the board.

"A mask. Spiderman wears a mask. Why? Is he ashamed of what he does? Is he someone who did something wrong, trying to recompense for past mistakes? Or is it more noble?"

Mr. Daniels walked through the class every eye following him intently.

"Maybe he wears a mask because he doesn't want the criminals to see his fear. Maybe he hides his face to protect his loved ones from harm. Maybe he doesn't care about the fame. What if-" Mr. Daniels was cut off by the school bell.

"Wait! Hold up!" Mr. Daniels stood at the door.

"Now you all know I don't like giving homework." The class groaned simultaneously.

"You've all probably heard about the Daily Bugle's Blogger post. As you know it's an open competition. But what you may not know is that my Fiancé, Betty Brant, is the secretary for the editor. I met with Mr. Jameson the other day and he told me that he'd read entries from my classes with higher regard than other entries."

The children started muttering excitedly, their voices growing steadily in volume.

"All right! Settle down!" Mr. Daniels laughed. "Your homework: Why does Spiderman wear a mask?"

* * *

 _Why do I wear the mask?_ Peter thought as he walked to his locker. He unlocked the door and put his Science books inside. He stuffed his Algebra books in his bag and put his hand on the door to close it.

 _Spider Sense!_ Peter thought and slowly closed the door.

He moved his head slightly as a fist slammed into his locker door. _Note to self. Fix locker door._

Peter put his backpack down and ducked another swing from the enraged Flash.

"Think you're funny don't you?" Flash raged. He swung at Peter again who easily dodged it. A small crowd gathered around them, boxing them in.

"Flash, just leave it." Peter said while weaving effortlessly through Flash's punches.

Flash screamed in rage and charged at Peter. With nowhere to dodge to Peter flipped over Flash and kicked him on the back. Flash crashed into the locker. Peter landed on the ground and grabbed his backpack.

All around him were shocked faces. Everyone whispered in hushed voices. Some pointed and muttered angrily.

"What?" Peter yelled. "You're mad that weak nerd _puny Parker_ can throw a punch? I don't need this."

Peter pushed through the crowd and walked quickly outside. He never looked back. If he did he would have noticed the blood trickling from Flash's mouth and nose.

* * *

Peter screamed in frustration as he pulled himself high up into the air. He shot two webs at a nearby building, pulling hard he flung himself over the roof.

 ** _"This is Officer Stan Carter! We need immediate backup at the bank near union square!"_** An explosion resounded over the radio. _**"No I don't have the exact address! What's this? 14th? Just get to union square and follow the sound of-"**_ Another explosion followed by a sound like a foghorn. **_"Follow the sound of the chaos!"_**

Peter pulled hard out of his arc and shot a web at a nearby gargoyle. He pulled backwards and shot a web towards Union square.

 _There better be something I can punch._ Peter flung himself up and shot a web at the corner of a windowsill. He yanked on the web-line and flew around the corner of the building. At the edge of the street he saw a car crash into a skyscraper.

 _Got to get there faster!_ Peter looked around him. He shot a web backwards and pulled himself into building that was currently under construction. He kicked off a girder and sprinted along the unfinished roof. He leaped over the edge diving towards a yellow crane. He shot two web-lines that attached to the tip of the crane and used the space inside to shoot himself outwards like a cannonball.

Peter landed squarely next to the car that was careening dangerously close to the edge. He ripped open the door, not bothering to undo the seat belt Peter ripped the seat out entirely and landed on the ground with the man still sitting.

At that moment the car lost grip and fell straight towards them. Peter leaped high up and shot four webs that caught the car and held it in place.

 _What could possibly be doing this?_ Peter thought as he landed on the nearest speeding police car. _That station wagon flew half a_ block! Up ahead were policemen cowering behind buildings trying to get a shot at something near the entrance of the bank. The cop car Peter was on sped straight towards the danger, with Peter squatting on the roof.

Peter now saw that the thing causing the disturbance was a man in a leather jacket, wearing something almost like a welding mask, with clear yellow goggles. He had thinning brown hair and laughed maniacally. The man was wearing a harness of some kind that attached to two metal objects around his hands. They were rounded and smooth shaped almost like a bucket.

The man looked at Peter's ride and gave a wicked smile under his mask. He lifted his gauntlets and Peter's spider sense exploded. From the man's arms sprang sound waves that broke the sound barrier and became visible every inch or so. They slammed into the police car from the hood and it immediately crumpled. Acting on adrenaline and instinct, Peter ripped off the car's roof pulling the officers out and throwing them into the air.

 _Web-fluid, don't fail me now!_ Peter shot a web-line that attached to the policemen and another web-shot that stuck the line to a nearby streetlamp. The officers swung around the streetlamp once and hung softly.

The police car flipped in midair aiming to hit the ground roof first, with Peter still on it.

 _No time for webs!_ Peter thought and slammed his feet into the ground. The street cracked with the strain but the car caught.

Peter dropped the police car only to be hit by another sound wave before he could react. Peter was flung into the car slamming into a nearby building.

"Not even the Spiderman can stand up to the might of EXPLOSO!" Yelled the maniac and shot a sound wave into the air.

"Exploso? Really?" Peter thought as he leaped back in front of the man. "You don't even blow things up. You just make a lot of noise."

Peter leaped out of the way of another pulse and shot a web near the thief. He pulled himself closer and tried to kick the criminal in the face, but instead he had to dodge another sound attack.

"Well then, you'll have to settle on being crushed by THE SPEAKER!" The man yelled and tried to hit Peter.

 _His aim is off while he's distracted! If I can keep him talking I might be able to land a hit!_ Peter jumped easily over the man's punch and kicked him hard on his back. Nothing happened.

 _What?! His harness completely absorbed the impact of my kick!_ Peter flipped back to avoid another sound blast, landing on a nearby lamp post.

"No... That's not quite menacing enough." Peter jumped to avoid another hit.

"Why don't you go for something more classy?" Peter sidestepped a flung mailbox. "How about... Francis? Can I call you Francis? No... You're more of a Herman. How does Herman sound?"

"How did you know that?!" The man shouted and shot two erratic blasts that completely missed their mark, flying harmlessly through the air.

"NO my name is not Herman! It's..." He seemed to wrack his brain trying to come up with a good alias. Peter took full advantage of this and with his amazing speed ran up and punched the felon full on the face. His blow landed like a feather.

"Hey!" _Herman_ shouted and slammed Peter into the ground.

"Prepare to die by the hands of... SHOCKWAVE!" _Herman_ and activated his gauntlets. Peter was flung by the sound waves pummeling him long the street until he crashed into bus.

" _I-isn't that a- t-t-transformer?_ " Peter wheezed. _I think I broke something. Something important_. Peter stood up, holding his side.

" _Badguy can't come up... with a proper name..."_ He gasped in pain as the man walked closer. " _Shocker."_

The man lifted his bucket shaped gauntlets right up in Peter's face.

"Shocker huh?" He smiled wickedly under his visor. "I like that."

He slammed Peter into the bus and then shot him through the roof. Peter flew high into the air where he slammed into the side of a building, sticking in the crater.

 _Losing... Consciousness... Got to... Get away..._ Peter shot a web and tried to swing away, but his hand slipped and he was flung into a nearby dumpster.

* * *

Peter woke up smelling trash. It was night time outside. His costume was ripped up and his cup goggles were shattered.

 _Thank goodness my web-shooters seem functional. Under the circumstances._ Peter pulled off his mask and shoved it into his backpack. He pulled a grey hoodie over his head and walked dejectedly down the street.

 _Every part of me hurts!_ Peter thought as he walked up to the subway station entrance. He tried to pay the lady behind the counter with a hand of crumpled bills, but she closed his hands and said simply: "Lookin' like that, kid, you ride for free."

Peter sat on the subway train trying to figure out what went wrong.

When he finally walked through the front door he called: "Hey Aunt May! I'm Home!"

He was met with silence. He walked into the kitchen and saw a note taped to the fridge.

 **Dear Peter**

 **I'm working a late shift at**

 **the hospital tonight, so**

 **I won't be home for dinner.**

 **There is still some leftovers**

 **from last night and I promise**

 **I'll make it up to you**

 **tomorrow.**

 **With Love,**

 **Aunt May**

 _Thank goodness. Now I don't have to explain why I look like I got in a fight with a wild animal._

Peter pulled a bowl of macaroni from the fridge and walked down to his lab. He pulled his mask, goggles and web shooters from his backpack. He dressed slowly and painfully in his normal clothes and put his tattered suit on the table. Lateral tears were all over his top.

 _Time to get to work._ Peter thought and put his Aunt's old sowing machine on the table.

Peter looked up at his work. He had sown closed all of the tears in the leotard. The Sowing made long lines all across his Shirt.

 _Hey._ Peter smiled and looked at it. _That gives me an idea._ Peter continued stitching lines over his costume until it looked like spiderwebs running across.

 _Not bad. Thank you Mr. Daniels._ Peter thought as he started doing the same for his mask.

Next he put his shattered goggles on the desk. _These are no good and I can't have anyone recognise me while I'm fighting crime. Aunt May would freak. And if anyone I cared about got hurt because of me, I'd never be able to live with_ _myself._

Peter walked over to a box in the corner and started digging around until he found what he was looking for. He removed a pair of skiing goggles from the box and moved over to where his workbench was.

He removed the lens and soft seal, and placed them aside. He placed the seal inside his mask and sowed the sponge to the red fabric. Next he used a glue gun so glue the lens to the mask. After waiting for the glue to dry, Peter sowed the mask closed so the lens looked like two white eyes.

 _Not Bad Parker. Now the web-shooters._ Peter tightened a few bolts and used a piece of machinery to create a place where his small containers of web fluid can slot into. Then he stitched small rubber hoops under the arms of his shirt, and put two big compressed air bottles in his backpack. He sowed the backpack shut and added a zipper, so that the bottles couldn't be seen. Then he attached the tubing from the gas bottles to the back of the web-shooters.

Peter yawned widely and walked up the steps. Switching off the lights and locking the basement.

* * *

Peter ran down the steps, refreshed and feeling light as air. He walked outside to catch a bus, but someone grabbed him by his arm and pulled him away. Peter immediately recognized Gwen's soft smell and didn't resist.

"Come with me!" Gwen giggled and practically dragged Peter along after her.

 _Guess she's not mad anymore!_ Peter thought gleefully as he happily followed after his best friend. She laughed her soft laugh and pulled his hand yanking him along after her. She looked over her shoulder and flashed him a smile, her blue eyes dazzling.

They ran all the way into central park. Peter smiled a big goofy smile as he happily followed after her. _I guess she's not mad anymore. That's good._

They plopped down on a red picnic blanket and Peter smiled wistfully on the grass.

"Oh Peter!" Gwen gushed. "I'm ever so glad I caught you!"

"How so?" Peter asked.

"I feel _ever so foolish_ for being mad at you!" Gwen put her hand over her forehead and gasped slightly. "I don't even know why I was so concerned!"

"That's fine." Peter smiled.

"Peter, I love you my darling!" Gwen said. "I wish for you to hold me and be with me until the end of my days! I cannot live without you, my love!"

At this spun around and fluttered her eyelashes at Peter.

"Kiss me Peter!" Gwen said and puckered her lips.

Peter leaned closer, and just before their lips made contact he said:

* * *

"I love you too!" He exclaimed as he made a big kissing sound.

"I'm very fond of you as well, Mr. Parker, but that is hardly the appropriate response to explain your absence of homework." Mr. Daniels said.

"Wha?" Peter asked rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "Homework?"

The class burst out laughing at Peter who only looked surprised. Up in front he made eye contact with Gwen who only looked away.

 _Ah man._ Peter groaned and slammed his head on his desk.

* * *

 ** _"In other news, the criminal going by the name of 'the Shocker' has once again evaded police capture earlier today. We here at the J3 network have been asking ourselves how he managed not only to evade New York's finest, but also the vigilante known as Spiderman. After their brutal skirmish yesterday afternoon, the Spiderman has not been seen again. Is it possible that he succumbed to his injuries? Is he hiding after that embarrassing escapade? Next on J3 Daily sendout: Spiderman: Reign of terror's shocking conclusion._**

 ** _But first the weather."_**

Mike Burgundy was a busy man. His branch of Fisk Construction and Mining was the leading in the state. Mike's men had an edge over his competitors in the area. Something nobody else had. He slammed a fat finger on the intercom button on his desk.

"MARCO! SCHULTZ! MY OFFICE!"

The two men that strode into his office could have been mistaken for brothers. They were the same height and build, with the same thinning brown hair. The difference between the two was both in their demeanor and their eyes.

Flint Marco was an ex-con trying to make up for past mistakes. He had soft green eyes and held his cap in his hands.

Herman Schultz on the other hand leaned arrogantly on the doorpost. The most distinct feature he had was his goatee and permanent smirk.

"Now, before we begin, anything you want to say?" Mike asked.

"W-well Mr. Burgundy, I just want to thank you for this opportunity. Not many folks'll hire a man with a record. It's honest work and I enjoy it. Pays the bills." Flint smiled his voice was soft and gentle. It was deep and he stuttered a bit.

"I just want to get this over with." Spat Schultz.

"All right then. You boys watch the news?" Mike asked.

"Psh, what is this? The nineties?" Scoffed Schultz.

"Uh... we can't afford the telly." Flint said softly.

"Right. Well I was doing a bit of paperwork while I was checking the news. And you'd never guess what I saw." He switched on the TV.

"A perp wearing my vibro-gauntlets!" He pointed to the screen where the Shocker and Spiderman were fighting.

"In the forties a scientist named Robert Stark managed, for the first time in known history, to mine one and a half liters of vibranium. Vibranium is a metal with the unique ability to absorb nearly all physical force. They used all of the vibranium they had to make the most famous frisbee known to man." He walked around so that he was sitting on his desk facing the two men.

"Now, I get access to a unique piece of mining equipment that can extract vibranium from the earth, but what do I see? Someone running around New York robbing banks and calling themselves the Shocker!" Mike was furious.

Schultz looked away, unable to meet his boss's eyes.

"This Shocker matches either of your descriptions. Are those new shoes Herman?" Mike said looking down at Schultz's feet.

"They look expensive. Now, before I called you back in here I had my doubts. But now I'm sure who this guy is." He looked straight at Herman who shrunk under his gaze.

"Old habits die hard, aye Marco?" Mike said softly and looked Flint in the eyes.

"What?! Mr. Burgundy I didn't-" Flint started desperately but Mike cut him off.

"Sorry Marco, I stuck my neck out for you. Hiring an ex-con. This is how you repay me?"

"Mr. Burgundy please! Call my wife I went straight to the hospital after work yesterday!" Marco cried.

"Yeah. Sure. Just made a quick withdrawal on the way. Get outa here." Mike said and pointed at the door.

* * *

 _I thought I was a gonner for sures!_ Herman whistled to himself as he got into the vibro-harness and walked into the mine.

 _Good 'ol Marco taking the fall as well! Priceless!_ He picked up the only other Vibro-Harness in the building and threw it down the mineshaft.

 _Now if_ ** _The Shocker_** _goes and makes a bit of a fuss later, I can just say Marco stole the other harness. Luckily I put a bullet in the doofus who dun made these, so nobody else has this kinda power._

"SCHULTZ!" Came a voice from behind Herman, before he could react Flint grabbed him by the neck.

"We both know you did it!" He yelled. He flung Herman into the wall behind him and slammed his arm into Herman's neck.

"Yeah!" Herman coughed. "And we both saw me get away with it!"

Flint cried in frustration and smacked Herman against the wall.

"Herman I need this!" He cried. "My little girl is in the hospital! She's got cancer Herman! We're barely scraping by as is! I need this!"

"Oh? Cry me a river!" Herman said and activated his gauntlets. Flint smacked into the vibranium mound at the end of the mine.

"Tell you what, Marco." Herman said and aimed his gauntlets at Flint.

"I'll tell your wife you said goodbye." He activated his gauntlets. Sound wave after sound wave crashed over Flint. He smacked into the sand on the tunnel floor, the vibrations driving him deeper into the ground. He felt his ribs crack as the vibranium in the ground started liquefying around him.

Flint Marco screamed as his molecules vibrated into the very sand he lay on.

"Good riddens." Herman said as he walked outside.

Unseen, the sand around Flint Marco's makeshift grave shifted.

And then lay still.

* * *

Herman Schultz was having a good day. After dealing with Marco he had hit two banks without getting caught.

The vibranium dust on his helmet and harness made the bullets from the police bounce off of him harmlessly.

He just finished robbing the third bank when he heard a familiar voice behind him.

"Shockie old pal. Good to see you."

He spun around and shot a soundwave the missed Peter by a long shot.

"Since our little dance yesterday... I couldn't stop thinking about you..." Peter jumped over another attack with ease and threw a chair at Herman. It broke harmlessly on his head, but Peter knew it wouldn't hurt him.

Herman screamed and shot a wide burst of sound at Peter who simply jumped outside the bank.

Shocker charged outside flailing his head about. A flowerpot fell on his head and cracked open, with the flower staying put in his hair.

Shocker screamed in frustration and spun around to where he thought Spiderman would be.

"See, you got me thinking yesterday. I couldn't hit you because you simply absorbed the impact. Then I thought: must be the suit. But-" Peter threw a nearby can that bounced off the exposed part of Shocker's helmet.

"See! Your bald spot absorbs the impact too! So then I said: We'll obviously he's a mutant then." Spiderman threw a small device that stuck to Herman's forehead.

"But look at that!" He dodged another soundwave. "Do you know what that little doohickey is Shockie? It's a device that goes ding! And it only goes ding when it detects a mutant gene."

Peter leapt to the side to avoid a flying mailbox.

"Free for all science nerds at the Trask Expo last year. And then-" Peter threw a water balloon. It broke on Herman's head and drenched him from head to toe.

"-it hit me. Tell me Shocker: what material can absorb all kinetic impact, has relation to sound, and doesn't make a device that goes _ding!_ go ding?" Peter did a triple axle and webbed Shocker's gauntlets to the floor. He punched two joints on Shocker's harness and immediately the gauntlets popped off. Peter kicked Shocker in the chest and he fell backwards onto the ground.

"Vibranium dust, Shockie. That's what. And you know what happens to Vibranium dust when it gets wet? It washes off." Peter picked Herman up by the harness and punched him in the jaw. His head slumped forwards and Peter walked over to a nearby cop.

He dropped Herman at the feet Officer Stan Carter.

"Keep the change." He said and swung off into the city.

* * *

"Now Alex." Said a deep baritone voice. "As much as I believe that the child should not have to bear his father's sins, your father has quite a few." The man walked over to Alex and put a hand on his shoulder.

In front of them was a giant green container, scientists were mulling about checking screens and turning dials.

"Enhanced strength, near invulnerability, and of course the ability to transform at will." The man gestured to the equipment.

"But the final word lies with you. He is **_your_** father after all."

Alex looked the man dead in his eyes. Unflinching in front of one of the most infamous crime lords in history.

"Do it." He said simply.

The man smiled.

"Project _Rhino_ is green lit." He said in an evil voice.


	7. Chapter 7: Rhino-serious situation

**Disclaimer: Oh hi there Marvel Comics! What is that? A _royalty check?_ For me?**

 **No. Because I make no money from this. And probably never will. Unless FFnet gets some sort of ad-revenue system like YT.**

 **But let's be honest. Never gonna happen. XD.**

 **By the time you're reading this I will have written two Home language exams, two First adotional language exams, a health exam, and physics.**

 **And yet here I am with another update! Aint I dandy!**

 **Chapter 7:**

 **" _Rhino-serious situation"_**

* * *

 **2014**

* * *

 _"Remember students! You've only got until Friday to book tickets and let me tell you! They're selling out fast!"_

 _Principal Coulson always seems so exited about school stuff._ Peter thought as he started the last question on his geometry exam.

 _Angle A1=180-B3, angles between parallel lines. That proves that A1 is equal to..._ Peter scribbled down the last few lines of his answer.

The school bell rang shrilly and Peter scrawled down the last few lines of his test just before mrs Drew asked them to put their pencils down.

Peter stuffed his pencil-case in his backpack and walked off towards his locker. He stuffed his Geometry text book in the space and pulled out his chemistry book.

He shut the locker door and picked up his backpack. Across the hallway Gwen was doing the same. They made eye contact briefly.

 _Well Pete. Make it up to her, whatever it is._ Peter took a deep breath and steeled himself.

"Gwe-" He was cut off by a voice from behind.

"Mr Parker, a moment of your time?" Mr Daniels leaned against the doorway of his class, right across from Peter's locker.

"Yeah. Sure." Peter said. Mr. Daniels class was eerily quiet. He sat on the desk and gestured for Peter to sit as well.

"Peter, I heard that you and Mr. Thompson engaged in a bit of fisticuffs yesterday after school." He said gently.

"Yeah. The whole bloody school watched. They were pissed that _puny Parker_ fought back." Peter scoffed.

"Mr. Daniels what am I doing here? This is hardly the first time either Flash or I got in a fight. And it's definitely not going to be the last." Peter said.

"Do you like fighting, Peter?" Mr. Daniels asked. His voice was gentle and neutral.

"What? No! I mean- that's not what I meant at all. It's just that Flash is an asshole and I get bullied a lot." Peter mumbled under his breath.

"Well, you've made your point. I don't think you'll be bullied again." Mr. Daniels shuffled his paperwork.

"What do you mean?" Peter asked. For once it wasn't his spider sense, but his moral sense that tingled.

"Mister Thompson is in the hospital, Peter. During your fight he hit his head really hard. He has a very serious concussion. He won't be back at school until at least next week."

Peter sat there gobsmacked. _I gave Flash Thompson a concussion._

"Peter, you're a good kid. Your grades are the highest in Midtown's history. I don't like hearing about things like this. I didn't know you were bullied. I had my suspicions, but..." He paused and took a breath. "Peter, you're growing into yourself. You're becoming stronger. Randy tells me he wants you to be on the basketball team. My point is Peter, nobody is going to press charges, you won't even get a detention, but you need to be more responsible with your abilities."

 _So everyone keeps telling me._ Peter thought dejectedly.

"Now go out there and ask Miss Stacy to the dance, eh?" Mr. Daniels smirked.

Peter walked out of the classroom and turned to chemistry. He ran through the hall to class and opened the door.

The class turned deathly silent as he walked in. Mr. Warren, their Chemistry teacher was out of class. Peter hurried to his seat, right in front of the black board. There were no seats taken around his usual seat.

"Mr. Parker. Glad you could join us." Mr. Warren said and closed the door to his classroom.

* * *

Peter swung high in the air of New York city. He shot a second web at a building near him and shot himself forwards.

Something went boom. A huge black pillar of smoke funneled into the air a short distance from Peter.

Peter shot a web off to his right and flung himself in the direction of the danger.

 _How is it that I have to dodge flying police cars two days in a row?_ Peter said as he stopped the above mentioned car from crushing a few pedestrians with a few well placed web lines.

Up ahead Peter saw the source of the airborne vehicles. The thing throwing around police cars could be described as nothing less than a rhino man. It was a giant hulking juggernaut (no pun intended) with a long horn on top of its head. It picked up a police car with its right arm and chucked it into the air. Peter reacted quickly, stopping its descent with a web-net.

He flipped twice and landed in a crouch on a nearby traffic light.

"I heard the circus was in town, but I think the poster I saw was underselling your attractions a bit." Peter said from his perch.

The Rhino turned around and looked at Peter. It smiled. Peter gulped.

"Nice to see you again, bug." It said and turned to face Peter.

"Again? You mean my visit to the zoo last sunmer?" Peter dropped from his advantageous latitude to a low crouch right in front of the Rhino.

"I think I gave you a wrong number." He said.

"Funny. But I was talking about the bank robbery you stopped." The Rhino moved closer to Peter looming over him.

"You're gonna need to be more specific. I stop about three a week."

"Well, considder this relieving you of your duty." It said and cracked its neck.

Peter lunged backwards and landed back on the traffic light. The Rhino screamed then crouched. It pawed the ground a few times then charged at the lamp post. Peter leapt off and flipped around, attaching a web to the Rhino's back.

"Humana Humana." Peter said as the Rhino charged right through the dense city traffic, completely unaware of its adhesive passenger.

As it charged through the city streets Peter did all he could to minimise the carnage without letting go.

 _I've got to stop it before someone gets hurt!_ Peter thought and held the web-lines attached to the Rhino in his one hand.

With his other he shot a web-line that attached to the Rhino's horn.

 _If I've learned anything from National Geographic, and I haven't learned much, it's that rhinos charge horn first!_ Peter pulled himself forwards so that he was sticking to Rhino's back.

Peter yanked on the web-line, pulling it to the right. The Rhino groaned and careened to the right.

"YIKES!" Peter yelled as Rhino crashed into a building.

Suddenly the Rhino stopped, the abrupt halt caused Peter to smack into his back. The Rhino peeled Peter off and held him by his colar at eye level.

"You know..." Peter said. "Now that you mention it, you do look kind of familiar."

Peter slammed his fist into Rhino's face as hard as he can. Rhino winced and in the second he was distracted, Peter leapt backwards, his shirt ripping in two.

"Ah come on!" Peter yelled and landed on his feet. His spider-sense tingled but he was too late as Rhino grabbed him by the head.

Rhino looked at Peter and said: "I'm gonna get you back for what you did."

"Maybe you just have one of those faces you know? Like _Have I seen you somewhere? No, just one of those faces._ Do you shop at-" Peter couldn't talk further because the Rhino punched him in the face.

The lense in Peter's mask shattered and shards of broken plastic stuck in his face.

Peter screamed in agony as Rhino dropped him. He looked up with his face full of blood.

The Rhino charged off in the direction of the financial district as Peter shakily got to his feet. The Rhino stampeded into an alley and Peter, still dazed and unable to see straight swung after him.

The alley was completely empty except for a blue recycle bin and a startled hobo, with no sign of the Rhino.

* * *

Gwen Stacy prided herself on being able to study under any circumstances. She didn't let Peter, Alex or any other guy get under her skin.

She highlighted a paragraph from her science textbook, and stretched her neck. A sound like an explosion sounded in the distance. She looked over to a panel on the ceiling where she hid her costume.

She went back to studying.

Another explosion. Gwen bit her lip and looked at the window.

Finally she stood up and grabbed her baseball bat and removed her costume from the compartment in the ceiling.

It took her 7 minutes to get dressed, but she couldn't find her mask.

 _My backpack!_ She thought and plucked it from under her bed. She quickly pulled on her mask and pulled her hood straight. There was a dull thud outaide her window.

Outside on the fire escape lay Peter, his face covered in blood. Not wasting a second, Gwen lifted him into her room and ran to fetch the first aid box.

"Oh god... Peter what happened?!" She said as she started removing broken pieces of plastic from her friend's face.

" _Rhi-no..."_ Peter mumbled.

"Alex did this?" Gwen gaaped in horror.

"No!" Peter said. "A literal Rhino. Man. Thing."

"Peter I need you to stay still. This is hard enough as it is." _Not to mention your regeneration is already kicking in and if I waste any time some of the plastic might get trapped in your skin._ Gwen thought to herself as she plucked the last shards from his face.

"Peter, what's your favourite colour?" Gwen asked as she poured some alcohol on a facecloth.

"What?" Peter asked. His eyes were swolen and bloody, so he couldn't see what she was doing.

Gwen started cleaning the wounds.

Peter screamed in agony and tried with all his might to push Gwen off. She held him in place easily.

 _Guess I'm stronger. And not just emotionally either._ Gwen thought as she held Peter down with one arm and cleaned his face with the other.

Finally Gwen stopped and let Peter rest on her bed. She propped him up on a few pillows and walked out of the room. She walked into the kitchen, where she picked up the phone and dialed the Parker house.

"Hello?" Aunt May said. She had off from dayshift on Wednesdays, and was probably worried sick over Peter.

"Hello May, it's Gwen." She said softly and twirled the cord around her finger.

"Oh! How are you dear?" May's smile was audible, even over landline.

"Very well, thank you." Gwen replied in her most friendly voice. "I'm just calling about Peter. He was skateboarding with some friends in the park and hit his face on a lamp post. He was wearing goggles and some pieces of plastic cut his face."

"Oh good gracious!" May's friendly voice was now thick with concern. "Is he alright?"

"Yes." Gwen replied. "I brought him home and helped him clean the wounds. He won't have any permanent damage, other than a dented ego."

"Oh that boy!" May said. "He'll be the death of me yet!"

"He's just resting up a bit here, but I'm sure he'll be home soon."

"He's lucky to have a friend like you, Gwen." Aunt May said softly. "He has grown quite fond of you since you met. He never comes home without some tale of shenanigans where you were his saving grace."

Gwen smiled a bit at this, a bittersweet smile.

"Thank you May." She replied.

"Send my regards to everyone..." May said.

"Have a nice day.." Gwen replied and put the phone down.

Gwen walked back to her room where Peter sat on the bed. He looked up and brushed a hand through his hair.

"I'm sorry." He said plainly.

Gwen ignored him and sat at her desk.

"I... I didn't know where else to go..." He tried.

Gwen continued ignoring him.

"I know you're mad, and I'm really sorry. I really didn't mean to upset you." Peter said and pulled on his mask. "Thanks a lot for your help. I don't know what I would do without you."

He turned to the window to leave, but her voice rang softly, yet hard from behind him.

"What happened?"

Peter turned around and sat on the windowsill.

"A giant man-rhino punched me in the face." He mumbled.

"A _man-rhino?" Gwen said slowly._

"A really big rhino, shaped like a guy." Peter gestured with his hands.

"Peter are you... drunk?" Gwen asked.

"What? No!" Peter said incredulously. "Come on I'll prove it!"

He grabbed the remote and switched on the television.

 ** _"-a path of destruction ending near Columbus Circle, where 'The Rhino' went toe-to-toe with Spiderman. Sources claim the fight ended when Spiderman was his in the face. The Rhino then evaded capture and hasn't been seen since." The Anchorman on the J3 network said._**

 ** _"What are your thoughts on this, Jill?"_**

 ** _"Well Darren, this bull in a china shop had to come from somewhere, my question is where?"_**

 ** _"Sources claim that The Rhino was first spotted breaking out if the holding cells of the 17th Precinct. All of the escaped criminals have been apprehended once again, except for one Alex O'Hirn, who tried to rob a bank earlier this week. Sources also claim that Herman Schultz, better known as 'the Shocker' is at large once again, as he was detained there as well."_**

 ** _"In other news, in a desperate ploy for relevance, Dr Reed Richards and Susan Storm have engaged in tests of a dangerous experimental rocket shuttle. Astronauts from the international space station Johnny Storm, Susan's younger brother, and Ben Grim, childhood friend of Richards, have volunteered along with Test Pilot John Jameson to reel in the two scientists before they endanger themselves further."_**

"See!" Peter said. "A Rhino!"

Gwen looked Peter straight in the eye.

"Why do you do this, Peter?" She asked softly.

"What?" He asked.

"This." She put her hand on the side of his face, softly rubbing her thumb over his cheek.

Peter sighed and put his hand on hers. With a great reluctance he pulled her hand away.

"The day I got these powers was also the day one of the greatest men to ever live was murdered in his own living room. He used to be a salesman, did you know that? He worked for a firm called Ultimark, and he sold all sorts of gadgets. He and Aunt May own the house. They had it good. Really good." A dark look crossed his face for a moment.

"One day he went to deposit the share of money he made that day to the company finance officer. When he got there he saw his boss taking a load of money from the company expenses vault. The guy tried to bribe Uncle Ben to keep it quiet, but Uncle Ben went and told the guy's superiors."

Peter laughed. "They were in on the gig. They fired Uncle Ben and annulled his affiliation. He never went to college and had no skills of value anywhere else. He couldn't find a job anywhere else. Eventually he settled on being a janitor for Oscorp. He believed that when you had the power to do the right thing, then you had a moral obligation to do just that."

Peter stood up and moved to climb out the window.

"That's one reason. The other is that you showed me that this city needs Spiderman. That day with the fire. Your dad summed it up best: With great power, comes a great responsibility."

He stood out on the fire escape prepared to jump.

"I miss you, Gwen." Peter said and leapt off.

Gwen sat on the edge of her bed, half dressed in her costume.

"I miss you too, Peter." She said softly to herself.

* * *

 **"News just in: while the new York wallcrawler was throwing down with the Rhino earlier today, a bank was robbed in expert fashion. The robbers claim to be working for the infamous Kingpin of crime. Is it possible that this Rhino was a distraction to keep Spiderman away from the crooks? Let's discuss, next on J3Fm: Spiderman flummoxed by fortified fiend. But first-"**

Peter switched off the broadband reciever and yanked harshly on the web-line. He spun through the air and dive bombed the street. Metres off the ground Peter shot a web-line at a street light, spinning off of the metal pole he flew towards an alley near his school.

He yanked on a baggy shirt and a pair of loose fitting jeans. He ran out of the alleyway, pulling on his sneakers as he went.

 _Late! So late!_ Peter thought as he bounded over the street and ran up the steps to school.

 _Man! Mrs Drew is going to murder me!_ He said as he yanked his books from his locker.

He skidded into class and all eyes were on him.

"Mr Parker." Mrs Drew drawled deviously. "So glad you decided to grace us with your presence at last.

"Sorry Mrs Drew! I- uh- had to-" Peter stuttered, wracking his brain for a valid excuse, he couldn't really say he stopped a deli shop from being held up.

"It's quite alright Peter." She interrupted him. "Miss Stacy already explained your situation."

"She... did?" Peter asked befuddled.

"Indeed. Is your Aunt feeling any better?" She said.

"Uh.. Yes?" Peter was completely lost as he sat in the desk behind Gwen.

"Good. Woman her age shouldn't have to work two shifts, you know. We just finished correcting mistakes from the test yesterday. You don't need to correct anything." She handed Peter his paper.

"A Mr Parker. Well done."

Peter found Gwen sitting with Alex at lunch. Peter sat down across from them when Alex abruptly stood up and left.

 _What is his deal? He seems angrier than I've ever seen him!_ Peter shook his head and tried to catch Gwen's eye.

"Thanks. For... you know..." he said. Awkwardly.

"Yeah. I assumed you had to... you know..." she replied. Awkwardly.

Peter cleared his throat.

They sat in silence.

"Oh!" Gwen said suddenly. "I've got something for you in my locker!" She stood up abruptly and gestured for him to follow.

She quickly keyed in the combination and removed a small black plastic bag. Peter took it and saw something red inside.

"If you plan on getting punched in the face a lot, you really should make sure the eyes of your mask don't crack.." she said.

Inside the bag was mask made of red fabric just a shade darker than Peter's suit. Instead of an awkwardly sewn ski mask, this mask was made of leotard fabric. The eyes were big and white, with black trim around the edges.

"Woah." Peter said looking at the mask.

"The material is very well made..." Gwen said softly. "They eyes are see through from your side, and lightly made, allowing you to breathe easier."

"Gwen... I don't know what to say. I could kiss you!" Peter stared in awe at the mask, not even noticing Gwen's blush.

Finaly he looked up and asked:

"Why?"

Gwen looked at her shoes, her fringe falling forward to cover her face.

"Because I don't want you to get hurt. And I know you're going to go out there getting hurt. So I thought I'd make it as easy as possible for you." She smiled slightly beneath her styled canopy.

 _Now's your chance Parker!_ Peter thought as he brushed Gwen's fringe aside.

"Uh... Gwen..." Peter cleared his throat. "You know that dance.. tomorrow?"

"Peter-" Gwen started but Peter put a finger on her lips.

"Just... wait a moment... I was wondering..." Peter started again. "If you'd like to go... with me..."

Gwen looked at Peter with an expression of anguish.

"Peter I'd love to-" she started.

Peter whooped with joy. But the look on Gwen's face sobered him up.

"Peter I tried to tell you.. I'm going with Alex already." She said and put a hand on his arm. "He asked Monday already."

Peter's heart sank like a stone. He slumped against the locker. "Oh." Was all he said.

The bell rang and Gwen looked over her shoulder.

"I've got to get to art. I'll save you a dance though?" She said. For a moment it looked like she was fighting an internal battle. Then she visibly steeled herself and kissed Peter on the cheek.

"I'll see you in Bio!" She said over her shoulder as she rushed off blushing.

Peter put a hand to his cheek as he walked off to computer class.

* * *

Peter sat next to Gwen in bio. Alex was supposed to sit with them as well, considering he was part of their project group, but he fervently ignored Peter. When the bell finally rang Peter stuffed his books in his locker. He had no homework, and he needed the extra space for his compressed gas cylinders. Across the hall Peter saw Alex talk to Gwen. She nodded and and hugged him, a sight that made Peter's blood boil for a reason he couldn't fathom.

He leapt outside to the alley and hastily stuffed his clothes in his backpack. He gingerly removed the mask Gwen had made for him. It fit like a glove. Peter pulled on his web-shooters and shot off into the sky. He shot a web-line at a water tower nearby and plucked himself towards it. He Flew through the sky over the students walking home or to the bus stops. Down on the pavement Peter saw Gwen walking home with Alex. His stomach tied up in knots as he thought of them together.

 _Why is this bothering me this much?_ Peter thought as he launched a web-line across the street. Stealthily he followed Gwen and Alex from his vantage point in the sky.

He leapt high into the air and landed next to a gargoyle.

"You ever have any problems like this...? What do I call you? You kinda look like a... Terrence? Nah... You're more of a Bruce. I can tell." Peter slouched down next to the gargoyle.

"You ever have any problems like this, Bruce?" He looked over to the statue. The statue didn't move.

"Look at me. I'm jealous of the fact that my two best friends are getting along. Do you think she knows he likes her?"

Bruce sat in stony silence.

"Yeah, you're right. She probably does. She's quite clever with emotions. Do you think she feels the same way about him?"

Bruce made the sound things make when they make no sound at all.

"Hey! I don't like what you're implying Mister!" Peter said offendedly.

Bruce responded with more gratuitous soundlessness.

"You think _I_ like Gwen, and that I'm jealous of Alex?" Peter asked as he watched Gwen and Alex slow down in front of her parents' apartment.

"The thought never even crossed my mind." Peter said as he shot a web-line at the building across the street.

"You know, Bruce, I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship." Peter sad as he swung off, Bruce responding with a firm silence.

* * *

Peter made a graceful jump and landed on the roof of a tall office complex. He at down and pushed a button on his bluetooth headset.

 **"-as the billionaire was testing a new prototype weapon system, using weaponised gamma radiation, when he was captured by a local extremist group. Mr Stark and Air Force colonel James Rhodes have been shown in pained condition and the US military has refused to pay the ransom with money offered by Stark International.**

 **"In other news the shuttle containing Mr Richards and Mrs Storm has officially been caught by the brave astronauts from the ISS. Test pilot John Jameson awaits them all in sub-orbit to bring them safely to earth. The scientists were not only testing their shuttle prototype 4, they were trying to observe a strange anomaly in the- hold on...**

 **"News just in: the criminal known as the Rhino has been spotted near park avenue, the NYPD is on high alert and banks city wide have been alerted to clear out any customers."**

 _Seems like a job for Spiderman!_ Peter thought as he rushed off the building and shot off.

The Rhino walked slowly through the late day traffic with people rushing out of their cars and running to get clear of the monstrous being. The police on scene pointed their guns at the Rhino as officer Misty Knight climbed to the roof of her car, megaphone in hand.

 **"Attention Rhino!"** Her voice echoed off the buildings around them. **"Stand down! We have snipers trained on your position and if you don't comply, so help me we will put your ass down!"**

The Rhino kept on moving, he smirked as he towered over Misty's car.

"Take the shot!" Officer DeWolfe yelled into her radio.

"NO!" Peter yelled as he swung high in air. He dismounted from the web shooting down at a speed that tore at his clothes. he was inches from the Rhino, he stretched out his hand but missed the bullet by millimeters as it punctured Rhino's head.

Peter landed on the ground and leapt up screaming in rage.

"Heh heh." Came a deep voice from behind him. The smouldering shell of a bullet fell clanking on the concrete at his feet. "That tickled."

Peter leapt into the air, dodging Rhino's swing. Instead of Peter the blow hit the car, which went flying at a the gathered crowd. Peter gasped and shot a web-line towards it.

 _I'm not going to make it!_ The car flew at the panic stricken crowd. _I'm not going to make it!_

The car smacked into the crowd with a crunch. It shuddered then raised slowly in the air as Peter landed next to it. Gwen was in her white costume and held the car easily in the air with her one hand.

"Need a hand?" She smiled. Instead of a full face mask, Gwen now adorned a white domino mask that allowed her hair to fall freely.

Gwen chucked the car at the Rhino who noticed it too late and took all 5000 pounds to the head. Gwen dusted off her hands and leapt over to the Rhino, who was struggling to get to his feet. She twisted in the air and landed on his face with both feet, knocking out a tooth.

 _Wow._ Peter thought as Gwen easily dodged the Rhino's swings, laying into him with well balanced shots.

Peter jumped into the air and shot off multiple web-shots that landed in Rhino's face, blinding him. When he groaned and tried to pull the webs off of his face Peter webbed his hand to his face as well. Gwen landed right in front of Rhino and leapt up, her fists connecting with his chin sending him flying through the nearby trees.

Peter and Gwen jumped after the Rhino's flying form, but when they reached the crater where he landed there was nothing. Only onlookers running away scared.

Before they could say anything the police and reporters arrived on the scene.

"Let's go!" Peter said. "We need to find him!"

Gwen put a hand on his shoulder. "Relax, Spidey." She smiled. "We won."

"Spiderman!" Came a voice from behind Peter. "Norah Winters, Daily Bugle, how do you feel?"

"I feel like we should get looking for the Rhino." He said and leapt in the air, landing on a nearby lamp post, looking for any sign of the giant perp.

"You really showed that Rhino what for!" The reporter said and pointed the Mic at Gwen. "Girl power! What do we call you?"

Gwen smiled and looked at the reporter. "Silk." She said, and leapt after Peter, the crowd cheering behind her.

* * *

Alex regretted his decision the moment he made it.

He watched helplessly as the green glass slid closed and the container started filling with grey fluid. He wanted to stop it. He wanted to scream and pound his fists on the glass, but he felt like his feet were rooted to the spot. Then the screaming started. He closed his eyes and tried to ignore the utter terror building in his stomach. The screaming only stopped when the fluid filled the tank.

"Nothing less than He deserves. O'Hirn failed us too often. Now he pays." A deep booming voice said.

Suddenly the container burst open and out strode a gigantic grey figure. His head was ringed with little spikes, as well as his boulder like shoulders. A great silver horn jutted from his forehead.

Alex's breath caught at the incredible transformation. The floor shuddered as the Rhino took his first steps.

"Your body now enhanced by a an organic metal. In this form you are invulnerable, and posses the strength to lift great weight." The voice said.

"Do not fail us."

* * *

"Nobody inside or outside of the police perimeter have seen the rhino." Gwen said as she sat down in her normal clothes next to Peter.

"How can a three tonne monster just fade out of existence like that?" Peter exclaimed in frustration.

"Don't worry. He'll show his ugly mug again, and when he does, we'll be ready." Gwen looked over at Peter. He sat with his head on his knees frowning. She leaned her head on his shoulder.

"You made some improvements." She said as she looked pointedly at his backpack.

"You mean my Web-Shooters?" Peter asked.

"Yeah, they seem quite... effective..." She smiled, as she lifted her head to look at him.

"Don't you start!" Peter laughed

"Im serious!" Gwen smiled. "Think you can make two more?"

Peter looked at her surprised.

"What?" She asked.

"Uh.. Sure..." Peter said, a frown crossed his face for a moment. Then he smirked. "Is this going to become a regular thing, _Silk_? I always wanted a sidekick."

"I was thinking more along the lines of... Partner." Gwen said as she lay her head on his shoulder again.

"Partner..." Peter mulled the word over. "I think I'd like that."

* * *

Peter liked dressing up. It was something he and Aunt May always had a lot of fun with.

"A proper man can tie his own bow-tie." She used to say.

The dance was great. Balloons and snowflake cut outs made the decor for the school's winter dance.

"All I'm saying is: Why call it **Midtown** Manhattan Magnet High School, when it's in _Queens_!" Deborah laughed. She wore a shiny purple dress that matched Peter's shiny purple bow-tie.

"Yeah." Peter said as he watched Alex twirl Gwen around the dance floor.

"You wanna dance?" He asked.

"DO I!" She laughed excitedly.

Peter and Deborah swerved on the dance floor. She laughed and spun around, she didn't even notice that Peter's attention was on Gwen.

After the third or so song ended Peter sat down at their table listening to Deborah talk.

"Sorry to interrupt.." Came a soft voice from behind them. Peter snapped his head around and looked at Gwen. Her hair was done up in a big bun with little strands of hair falling over her face. She wore a deep blue dress that came to just under her knees.

"I believe I promised you a dance." Gwen said, and after a nod from Deborah, Peter took her hand and led her to the dance floor.

They danced around a bit until Peter stumbled.

"Sorry... You know I have two left feet..." He muttered.

"You're doing fine." Gwen smiled at him.

"I'm much better at slow dancing, I Promise." Peter smiled back. The music ended and changed into a slow song.

 _Me and my big mouth._ Peter thought, but Gwen stood closer to him and leaned her head on his chest. Peter moved his hand to the small of her back and pulled her close.

"You're right." Gwen said softly. "This is much better..." She looked at Peter.

"You look great... like... really... good..." Peter tried, his throat clogging up.

Gwen giggled softly. She stopped and looked Peter right in the eye.

 _Now's your chance!_ Peter thought. _Don't blow it..._

Peter closed his eyes and started leaning closer to Gwen, who mirrored him. Suddenly there was a huge crash.

"What was that?" Gwen asked as the crashing sound became louder. "I'm going to need a moment to get dressed!" Gwen said and started running.

"OK!" Peter yelled and dove under a nearby table.

With a thundering boom the Rhino burst through the wall of the Gym. Under the table, Peter plucked his mask from his inside pocket and pulled it on.

 _No web-shooters, I'm going to have to rely on my other abilities!_ Peter kicked the table off and landed in front of Rhino.

"Hey big guy!" He said, and threw Rhino with a nearby chair, which splintered on his face. "Is that a Rhino horn, or are you just happy to see me?"

Rhino roared and charged at Peter who jumped over him and slammed his heel into the back of Rhino's head. Rhino slammed into the floor of the Gym splintering the wood panels.

 _Gotta keep him away from the students!_ Peter thought. _What is he even doing here?_ Peter jumped into the air to avoid a table from behind him. The table smashed on Rhino's head.

"Hey! Ugly!" Gwen yelled and leapt across the Gym. Rhino looked up and screamed. "Come get some!" She yelled and slammed her fist into his face. She wore her domino mask and costume top, with normal sweat pants.

"Cheating on me now are you?" Peter said as he smashed a table on Rhino's leg as he stumbled backwards from Gwen's blow. "Rhino, baby, honestly, I'm hurt."

 **"You'll hurt even more before I'm done!"** Rhino yelled and swiped an arm at Peter who just managed to dodge it.

"Watch out Spidey." Gwen said and landed next to him. "He's stronger than before."

"We need a game plan!" Peter yelled and dodged a flying table.

"We need to keep him inside the Gym until the police show up!" Gwen said as she caught the table and chucked it back at Rhino.

"If I can get to my web-shooters-" Peter started, but Gwen quickly cut him off.

"Good idea. Go, I'll keep your boyfriend company."

Peter leapt through the roof of the gym where his red backpack lay. He grabbed his web-shooters and yanked them on. he pulled on his backpack and leapt back inside the Gym. He shot a webline at Rhino's leg and yanked, pulling his leg out under him. With a bellow the Rhino face planted into the gym floor.

"Nice!" Gwen exclaimed and jumped to kick Rhino. He growled and crouched, when Gwen was about to hit him, he grabbed her leg with both his arms.

Gwen gasped in fear as Rhino lifted her high above his head and snapped her right leg with a sickening crack. Gwen screamed in agony as Rhino chucked her broken body into the far wall. She slid down the bricks and lay motionless on the floor.

"GWEN!" Peter yelled and dove after her any thought of Rhino completely forgotten.

 **"Gwen?"**

Peter landed next to Gwen and stared at her leg. it was twisted in odd angles, and Peter could see bone poking through her sweatpants.

"Hands in the air!" Shouted a man in blue army fatigues. Soon he was joined by a whole squad of similarly dressed men and women. "Your armor won't hold up to gas attacks!"

They didn't seem to notice Peter, so he quickly shoved a chair leg up Gwen's sweatpants and webbed the whole limb up. He grabbed her and shot through the roof.

"What the hell was that?" Came the voice of one soldier. Rhino took this moment to charge through the wall leading outside.

"Focus on the objective!" The soldier exclaimed and they all ran after him. When they got outside, Rhino was nowhere to be seen.

"Fury won't be happy when he hears this."

"That's if coulson doesn't kill us before we tell him.

* * *

Peter swung through the glass doors of the hospital, landing as softly as possible.

"SOMEBODY HELP ME!" He screamed. A group of paramedics rushed over and raced Gwen away on a stretcher. Peter tried to follow, but the nurse stopped him.

"Immediate family only!"

Peter screamed in frustration and burst outside. He ran along the outer windows of the building, following their progress until they entered a windowless operating room.

* * *

An hour later Peter sat on the roof of the hospital, worried sick. He was dressed in his full suit, because he had to stop three muggings, a car theft, and a hitrun already.

 **"And now the weather."**

 **"Well Marge-"** The lady was cut off by a blaring tone.

 **"Sorry about that folks, news just in, the shuttle containing the scientists and astronauts has been hit by the anomaly!The strange mist like anomaly was actually hiding a series of small asteroids. Their shuttle is rocketing towards the earth and is set on a course to crash into midtown. Citizens are warned to leave the area at once. Upon re-entry the flaps on the shuttle caught and they are unable to steer."**

In the sky Peter saw an angry yellow line stretching across the night. He leapt up and shot a web towards Times Square.

 _Well Pete, you always wanted to fly a space ship._

Peter shot off. The line was growing closer and closer. He swung to the top of the highest skyscraper in the area. He shot a web-line to the side, connecting to a radio antenna on top of a building nearby. He then shot another at the antenna on the building on the other side.

 _This is either going to hurt a lot for a long time, or it's gonna hurt a lot more for a short time._ Peter thought as he pulled himself backwards.

Option _one being I hit the space ship like a human cannonball._ Peter lifted his legs and pulled himself forwards launching in the direction of the incoming shuttle.

 _Option two being I get very close to the pavement._

Peter Shot across the sky. In mere moments he would see whether he would be a pavement Pizza by the end of the night.

 _CRAP!_ Peter thought. _I OVERSHOT!_ Peter screamed as he sailed over the shuttle by 10 meters. _Please just this once!_ Peter triggered a web-line, but his web-shooter came up dry.

 _NO!_ Peter thought as he shot a web with the other. It made contact. Peter's arm was nearly pulled out of it's socket as the rocket pulled him closer. He climbed the web-line until he was atop the shuttle. He slammed his fists into the thrusters denting them in. Without thrust the rocket slowed, if only barely. Spotting the flaps, Peter crawled over and tried to pry them loose.

 _They're welded shut!_ Peter thought. Up ahead the shuttle was coming dangerously close to flying right into a building.

 _No time!_ Peter thought and started shooting a bunch of webs behind him. They formed a parachute of sorts that drastically decreased the shuttle's speed.

 _Still not enough!_ Peter thought and slammed his fists through the metal of the flaps. Using all his might he pried them open. The moment he did, the shuttle careened violently to the side and Peter was thrown off. He quickly shot another web-line and pulled himself back holding on to the webline, and webbing his feet to the shuttle, Peter shot a we-line at the approaching building's roof, after shooting a few more Peter grabbed hold and twisted the web-lines around his arms.

Peter screamed with exertion as he pulled the shuttle up and over the roof of the building. His clothes ripped in placed as the strain wracked his body. Peter started seeing spots when there was a sudden jerk. The shuttle's bottom had caught part of the building and threw itself into an frenzied spiral towards the ground. Peter heard a thumping near the back of the shuttle, and noticed a panel dented and unable to open.

 _The emergency re-entry parachute! Of Course! Thank you Mr Richards for publishing schematics online!_ Peter shoved his hand into the panel and wrenched it open. Not even a moment later he noticed his mistake. The parachute sprung open and smacked him in the face. A shadow seemed to fly past him as he flew off the shuttle that was now plummeting towards the lake in central park.

 _Ohgodohgodohgodohgodohgodohgodohgod..._ Peter thought as he plucked all of his remaining web cartridges from his backpack and broke them open in front of him. He was engulfed in a ball of webbing as both he and the shuttle smacked into the lake. The shuttle made contact first, causing huge waves and Peter's makeshift hamsterball smashed into one. The sponge like nature of the webbing allowed Peter to crash into the water mostly unharmed. he ripped the webbing off his face and swam to the dock. He shot two web lines to the sides of the slowly sinking shuttle and yanked. Peter trudged up the bank of the lake, dragging the shuttle out of the fuming waters.

He leapt onto the hatch of the shuttle and plucked it out of it's sockets.

"Oh god!" Peter muttered as he gazed inside. There was a huge mass of some orange crystalline substance, rumbling in the back of the shuttle, on the floor lay a man who couldn't be older than 21 writhing as his body smouldered in flames. The most gruesome sight was the body of Reed Richards, a scientist Peter idolised, his body molten over the control panel of the cockpit.

Suddenly a voice next to Peter said: "It's shock from the crash."

Peter spun around but there was nobody even near him.

"You're not hearing things." The voice was feminine but firm. "I need you to calm down. I'll extinguish Johnny, but I need you to get Reed out of the shuttle, I'll help you to lift Ben out."

Peter jumped down and started gathering the rubber like flesh in his arms. _I think I'm going to throw up._ Peter thought.

"Not in the ship please." Came the voice from behind him as the now extinguished man floated out of the hatch.

Peter put Reed down on the grass softly and jumped back inside.

"I'll put a force-field around him, but I need you to lift him out." Said the voice.

"Is he under those crystals?" Peter asked as he lifted the invisibly bound bundle.

"He _is_ those crystals." The voice said as Peter put the bundle down on the ground. The force-fields faded and the crystals sprawled on the ground in a humanoid shape.

"I need you to do one more thing for me." The voice said. "Inside the shuttle is a silver box, hand it outside. Peter obliged.

"Whatever you need... _invisible lady_." He held out the box and it floated away from him.

"Thanks." The voice said. The box opened and Peter saw a blue flight suit unfold from inside. It pulled itself around until it seemed filled. Suddenly a beautiful blonde woman faded into view.

Peter gasped.

"I wasn't decent."

"You were **naked.** " Peter confirmed. The woman put a hand on her face and sighed.

 _The world just got a whole lot stranger._ Peter thought as he watched the molten form of Reed Richards Pull itself together, and the crystalline form of Ben Grim sit upright.

* * *

 **Yes! It is here! Done and Dusted and great! I Hope...**

 **Please Favourite! Please follow! Please tell all your friends! And Please review it helps me do what you guys want!**

* * *

Next Time:

 ** _School spirits are high when the school ghost starts terrorizing students! Peter faces a threat closer to home and deals with the new influx of fantastic beings!_**

 ** _Peter meets a friend from Hell's Kitchen and also one of his greatest enemies in the form of Midtown High's mascot!_**

 ** _Will our hero be able to vanquish this phantasmic foe? Or will he perish at the hands of this pestilent Poltergeist?_**

 ** _Find out in the next Chapter of Spiderman's stupendous adventures: Chapter 8: A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL_**


	8. Chapter 8: a deal with the Devil

**Small blackDisclaimer: Our mighty lord and saviour, Mickey Mouse, owner of Marvel and Spiderman, has yet to accept me as his vessel and ruler of the Mythos. If that went over your head, I meant to say that I do not, in fact, own Spiderman, and also, I make literally NO money from this. Why do I do it then? I can hear you saying to your cell phone... Well, the answer is simple!**

 **I don't really know...**

 **Anyway! Welcome to Chapter Eight! Man! What a world we live in! Eight chapters! Yes!**

 **Also, not that anyone out there is allergic to fluff, but if you are... don't worry... I don't think it counts as fluff, and if not, and you are allergic, please do not sue me! as I said: I make, and have, no money.**

 **As always please read, and after you've read, please review! It helps keep me motivated! Also, then I know what you like! Anyway: CHAPTER EIGHT!**

 **By the way, the cover art of this fic was designed by yours truly, Mr Authot/Mr Artist, both jobs that provide me with no money**

 **Oh, before I forget, this may not be clear yet, so I'll just remind, or perhaps enlighten some: This fic works like a TV Series. I'll be posting a chapter every week for the foreseeable, and slightly after that, future. Please check in every Sunday at roughly the time I post this chapter, around... _now... ish..._**

 **Please enjoy**

 **Chapter 8:**

 _ **"a Deal with the devil..."**_

* * *

"Son, do you know who I am?"

"Yes," Peter said. "You're Dr Reed Richards, one of the greatest scientists of this generation, one of my role models."

"Good," Reed smiled. "I need you to do something for me."

He handed Peter his wristwatch.

"I need you to keep this on hand. In a few days, it might start making a blue light, maybe beep a bit. I need you to come to the top floor of the Baxter building. You know your way there I trust?"

"Yes, Sir. I won't let you down."

"Good. Susan?" Reed said, he, Susan, the no longer flaming man and the now upright crystal monster floated into the air and out of Central Park.

* * *

 **A WEEK LATER**

* * *

Gwen woke to the sound of a nurse complaining to one of her colleagues. She saw the nurse walk to her nightstand where a big glass vase with blue tulips stood. The nurse moved to pick up the vase and take it away, but Gwen stopped her. Gwen's leg was raised and stilted in the air, but she could still move her arms.

"Don't," She said softly. "Please, they're my favourite."

Gwen looked at the nurse with her best pleading expression.

"I tell you, this is the third vase now. It's incredible." The nurse tutted.

"Who brought them?" Gwen asked, staring at the flowers.

"That's just it!" The nurse exclaimed exasperatedly. "We never see! They just appear on your nightstand! As if spiderman himself crawled through the window and put them there!"

Gwen smiled softly to herself as the nurses left the room.

 _Probably exactly what happened._ She thought.

* * *

Peter sat in Mr Daniels' class, the last class on a Monday. The minutes seemed to drizzle by like snails stuck in molasses.

"... hidden beneath that stoic piece of cloth can be anyone. Spiderman wears a mask because he is hiding something. What is it that he is hiding? A Sin of the past, striving for redemption. The sins of the present, disguises and lies.

"He wears a mask, not only for the things he has done but also for the things he will do, in the name of justice."

Mr Daniels finished reading. The class sat in stunned silence, staring at Peter, who sat doodling in his book.

"Ground control to Major Tom!" Mr Daniels laughed and threw a piece of chalk at Peter's head.

Peter's spider-sense snapped in and he caught the chalk between his fingers.

"Nice reflexes. Now that you're back on Earth, any words of wisdom you want to endow the class with?" Mr Daniels said as he leaned on his desk.

"Uh... What?" Peter asked flummoxed as he threw the chalk back at Mr Daniels who caught it easily.

"What was the last thing you heard before you lifted off?" Mr Daniels asked.

"Uh... The results from the Daily Bugle competition are in?" Peter tried lamely.

"Yeah. And you won." Mr Daniels smiled. "Welcome to the glamorous life of the press."

The school bell rang and everyone started piling their things in their backpacks, Mr Daniels whistled loudly to call them to order.

"As you all know Saturday we, the brave M3 Goblins are playing our arch rivals the Manhatten Tigers in the annual inter-school friendly. And as usual, I'm sure many of you are planning to commit some heinous acts of vandalism to their school statue before then. Well, I've something to say about that!" Mr Daniels scowled and looked every person in class right in their eyes.

"Don't get caught." He smirked.

* * *

Peter sat next to Bruce the gargoyle, eating a hot dog he bought.

"Gwen's looking better." He told Bruce through mouthfuls of hot dog.

Bruce looked inquisitively straight ahead.

"Yeah, turns out her healing factor seems a bit slower than mine. She's a lot stronger though. Her leg should be completely healed by next week." Peter said as he crumpled the hotdog paper and chucked it into the back of a passing garbage truck.

"They won't let me in to visit her!" Peter exclaimed in frustration. "Only _**'close friends of the family'**_ " Peter made air quotes to signify just how much he doesn't believe that horrible injustice.

Bruce stonily agreed.

"Wait... Bruce! You're a genius" Peter stood up and pulled on his mask. He leapt off the building and shot a web-line. "I'll see you later, buddy!"

Bruce revelled silently in the comment.

* * *

As Peter swung off towards the hospital he passed the same garbage truck he chucked a paper into moments ago. A small black object fell out of the back. Peter stared at his watch.

 _Still got an hour before visiting hours start, heck call this community service!_ Peter thought as he swung down and scooped up the black thing. It was a gun. A sub-machine gun.

 _Uh oh._ Peter thought and swung himself high into the air. He shot a web-line at the back of the truck and pulled himself to lightly land on the back. He crawled onto the truck's side and put his ear to a break in the metal. He could hear voices inside.

"You stupid bloody moron! What is wrong with you!" Said a voice with a thick British accent.

"How the hell do you manage to drop your ruddy gun out the back of a freaking garbage truck?!"

"Oi! Wasn't my fault! We hit a bump!"

"We're not even driving 35 miles per hour!"

Peter stopped listening and climbed back on top of the truck. It was speeding towards the financial district.

 _They must be part of the Yancy Street gang!_ Peter thought. _I've heard about them on the news._

Peter crawled over the truck's roof until he got to the nose. He leaned over the side and tapped the driver's window.

"Hullo, luv! 'Ave you some crumpets for a bloke?" Peter asked in what was possibly the worst imitation of a British accent in recorded history.

"You 'avin a go at me then?" Asked the driver, and pulled out his gun.

"Crikey!" Peter exclaimed and leapt onto the hood of the truck. He webbed up the entire windshield and then the front wheels. He shot a bunch of web-lines, sticking the truck to the ground. Luckily it wasn't moving very fast, and the webbing on the front wheels made it impossible to gain traction.

"God save her majesty!" Peter said as he plucked the driver from his seat and webbed him to the truck.

 _Let's see if this works..._ Peter thought and removed a white ball, around half the size of a softball from his backpack. The ball was an experimental _web-grenade_ that contained a highly compressed version of his web-fluid. Theoretically, it could cover everything in a three-meter radius in webbing. He chucked it through the break he listened in through moments ago.

From inside the truck came a startled: "Blimey!", and then a loud _SHLOCK!_. Peter ripped off the back door of the garbage truck and stared inside. everyone inside was covered in a centimetre of webbing.

"Blast! Seems you lags are all mouth no trousers after all! Don'tcha worry, the Fuzz'll be round shortly!" Peter said as he ripped the webbing off the crooks' mouths and shot off into the sky.

* * *

"-then he whipped in using very appropriate British so the thugs could understand him and webbed them all up using some sort of ingenious web-grenade!" Peter gestured wildly with his hands.

Gwen laughed softly from her position in her bed, then she smiled at Peter.

"Spiderman seems to be getting better at his job." She winked.

"Yeah.." Peter said and stared at her leg. "Not good enough."

"Hey..." Gwen said and took Peter's hand in hers. "Not your fault. Any news on our big horned friend?"

"Yeah actually. He's been very obvious in his absence." Peter ran a hand through his hair. "You know what the funny thing is? The holes in the walls leading to where Rhino burst in? They came from the boys' locker room. Rhino was already inside the building."

Gwen sat upright and looked out the window.

"I'll get him. I promise, Gwen. And when I do..." A dark look crossed Peter's face.

"Hey," She said and squeezed his hand. "Don't do anything... stupid..." She smiled.

"If you can manage that without me, that is..."

"Hey!" Peter said. "I'll have you know I'm a big boy. I've managed fine without my sidekick this past week!"

Gwen stuck out her tongue at him.

"How'd you get in here anyway? I thought only immediate family and friends could?"

Peter's face suddenly rushed with blood.

"I... uh..."

Luckily for Peter, the nurse came to his rescue.

"I'm afraid visiting hours are over, Sir." She smiled. "Thank you for coming, it's obvious you brightened her day."

Peter scooped up his backpack and started to leave.

"Oh, and Pete!" Gwen said from the bed. "Thanks for the flower's."

He smiled and kissed her on the cheek. "No problem."

Peter walked away and the nurse tutted.

"Where did you find him?" she asked. "Good men are so hard to come by these days."

Gwen held a hand to her cheek and looked at the nurse with a bemused expression.

"I swear," the nurse continued. "If he wasn't your boyfriend I'd grab him for myself."

Gwen looked at her flowers again, a soft smile playing on her face.

* * *

Not much else happened for the rest of the week, leading up to Saturday. The only big news came Friday, the day before the big friendly.

 **"You heard it here first ladies and gentlemen. Not one but two new vigilantes have been spotted and recorded in the new york area. Clear footage is available of one of these vigilantes."**

On the TV appeared the image of a white-clad man in a hood and cape, his face masked. He wore a very professional looking body armour and was quite impressive to look at.

 **"This vigilante marks all of his exploits with a white "C" painted on a nearby wall wherever he goes. User polls have chosen the name Phantom Champion- Oh, hold on we're receiving a call..."**

The voice over the phone was disguised, static buzzing sounds draping the voice in sinister quality.

 **"MY NAME IS NOT PHANTOM CHAMPION! YOU IDIOTS IT'S NOT A "C"! IT'S A MOON! MOON KNIGHT! MY NAME IS MOON KNIGHT!"**

The voice was cut off and followed by a series of beeps.

 **"You heard it here first folks, the "Moon Knight" seems to be on top of things. Very little is known about the other vigilante, other than that he is known to residents of the area as "the Devil of Hell's Kitchen". Now, Spiderman has become quite the mainstay in the city. Street vendors are selling T-Shirts, there is even talk of a 'Spiderman' Movie set to start production early next year. Stan Lee, Chief Executive of Sony pictures had this to say: "Spider-man! No, wait, The AMAZING Spider-man! A spandex-clad superhero fighting crime and climbing on walls! Why didn't I think of that?"**

"Spider-Man syndrome." Mr Daniels wrote on the board. He drew pictures of Spidey, Rhino, Shocker, Moon Knight and a Devil.

"It seems that the popularity of our wall-crawler is attracting others of similar," he gestured to Moon Knight. "and Polar viewpoints." He gestured to Rhino and Shocker.

"The very existence of Spiderman makes us wonder, it inspires us with confidence or fear. Let's go back a decade or three: Governer Trask is almost killed by a super-powered individual known as Project Mystique. Two other superpowered individuals, a well-known professor of genetics, professor Charles Xavier, and an ex-convict with magnetic abilities, Eric Lensher, stopped her from doing this. The public hailed them as heroes until it was found that the two are mutants. They were disgraced, both claiming differing views on how to handle humanity's ungrateful attitude. Xavier now operates a school from Winchester, a school where mutants learn to cope with their supernatural abilities. The school isn't exclusively for mutants though, and is hailed as a very astute establishment."

The intercom went off, Principal Coulson's voice gleefully announced: "Could Scott Summers and Ororo Monroe please report to the principal's office, there is a Dr Charles Marko here to see you."

In the back of the class, a boy with brown hair and a girl with tan skin and storm grey hair stood up and walked out.

The bell rang. Mr Daniels quickly whistled to calm the class down.

"Your homework: If you gained superpowers, what would you _honestly_ do with them?"

* * *

It was cold. It would probably start snowing soon. It was horrible weather, wet, freezing and a biting wind. Nobody sane would be out past four in the afternoon. The pavilions next to Midtown Manhatten Magnet High School were packed on one side with the mint green and white colours of the goblins, and on the other side stocked with the orange and black of the Manhatten High Tigers.

The crowds were cheering their respective schools in voices that rang all over the usually quiet neighbourhood in Queens. On the field, the two teams were neck and neck, tied at zero each. The clock had four minutes left. Flash Thompson's forehead was coated in glistening sweat. Hobbie Brown had declined, so Flash was the quarterback in what was the most important game every year, at least in all the ways that mattered. Respect. Fame. Tradition.

For the past fifteen years, the Tigers won by a landslide. The ball would be passed to him as soon as the whistle blew. He wouldn't have time to run. He could kick and make a field goal, but he was still seventy yards away from the end zone.

The whistle sounded shrill. Flash caught the pigskin with practised ease. Three strides back. The crowds thundered, but his ears were met with muffled silence. As if in slow motion he saw his right Tackle fall, two Tiger's broke through. Flash closed his eyes for a second. He kicked.

He slammed into the grass as the Tigers tackled him. The crowds were silenced as the ball sailed through the sky.

In the stands, Flash saw his father. He wasn't even paying attention. His dad was trying to get the attention of a stunning blonde woman in the seat behind him. His mom would have watched. She came to see every game he played since he was ten years old. He turned and watched the ball sail through the sky.

Coach Allen wrung his cap between his hands. His experienced eyes saw what nobody else could. The ball would miss the posts by about a yard. He drew a hand through his thinning hair. Time seemed to stand still as every face in the crowd watched the ball sail past the goal posts.

In a bout of luck, the wind picked up. Flash Thompson just made one of the longest recorded field goals in the history of High School football. The crowd exploded. From the stands, everyone rushed in a wave of mint green. In the moment before he was drowned in n well-wishers, Flash Thompson saw his father look at the scoreboard, then look at him. Flash smiled at his dad as his team picked him high up in the air. His Father only looked on with a face of mild disinterest as he walked out of the pavilion to the parking lot.

'THOMPSON! THOMPSON1 THOMPSON!" cheered the crowd as the only spectator Flash cared about waited bored in the car.

Flash's fellow teammates waited by Robbie's pickup while he walked to his dad's car.

"Hey, dad," Flash said. His father grunted in response, not even looking up. "My friends are going to Dex's diner for an afterparty. Coach Allen said he's buying everyone Pizza's."

His father finally looked up at him. "Don't you have an algebra test Wednesday?"

"Yeah," Flash said awkwardly. "But I Just broke a fifteen-year-old winning streak. And I scored one of the farthest recorded-"

"There is more to life than football, Eugene."

"Please, dad?"

His father sighed and said: "Alright. But on one condition!"

"Yeah, dad!" Flash cheered. "Anything!"

"Mrs Drew has told me that your marks are slipping. I want you to get a tutor. She's already recommended one, actually. The kid who scored full marks on a test she intentionally put too little information in. He used maths well beyond his years to solve the equation. His name's something like Percy, maybe Paul? Parker, I think?"

Flash's heart sank like a stone. He didn't tell his dad that it was the nerd Puny Parker that broke his nose and gave him a concussion that made him miss a week of school.

"Peter Parker?" He asked, his guts turning cold.

"That's it!" His father smiled. "You know him?"

"Uh... yeah..." Flash said. "Peter and I are... good friends..."

"Well then." His father said as he started rolling up the window. "As long as that's settled I have no problem letting you go have some fun. Can Robbie drive you home?"

"Yeah, no problem," Flash said.

"Have a good night son." His father simply drove away.

* * *

Later that night five seniors in Tigers jackets sneaked onto the school grounds.

"We steal that trophy back, 'fore they can lock it up." A Voice said as they walked to the boarded up the wall next to the gym.

The ripped off the planks and stole inside, turning on their flashlights as the moved.

 _ **"Evening boys."**_ Came a cackling voice as the gym filled up with smoke.

"What the hell?" Asked one as a figure emerged from the fog near the entrance.

The figure wore a burlap sack mask, with two holes for eyes and a crudely stitched on Grimace. he was bare-chested, except for a Goblins football jersey with the sleeves ripped off. His pants were black and loose fitting and the tips of his shoes were curled up. On his side hung a satchel and his hands were gloved.

 _ **"I'm the Hobgoblin. Let's have a little fun."**_ they figure burst out with insane laughter as he threw three spheres from inside his satchel at the boys.

* * *

"I can't believe you're cheering for Flash Thompson!" Gwen giggled as Peter regaled her with stories of the game.

"I'm NOT!" Peter blushed and scowled at her.

"Ok big guy." She said as she punched him in the shoulder. "I'm getting released Monday. I do not know how I'll be able to fake having a broken leg for another month."

"It's fine. I'll help. I'll kick you in the shin every morning." Peter offered with his most innocent face. Peter didn't doge the pillow that was chucked at his head. He simply laughed.

"Give me back my pillow," Gwen demanded in her best angry voice. "You crook!"

"Hey, have you finished your questions about that story Mr Foster gave us the other day? I've got a feeling we'll have a pop quiz Monday." Peter asked.

"Which one? The one about the farm boy who falls in love with the baker's daughter?" Gwen asked.

"Yeah! That's the one!" Peter said.

"Most important thing to remember is the progression of how he sees her as he falls in love with her. Especially her hair, first he sees it as pale, then as yellow, then fair, and then golden. Finally, he sees her hair as a crown upon her head. That's the point where he falls utterly in love with her." Gwen said, sitting a bit more upright as she adjusted her pillow.

Peter stared at Gwen's head. _I really am falling for her._ He thought. Her hair seemed to shimmer like gold in the pale light.

"What?" Gwen asked.

"What what?" Peter retorted, blushing.

"You were staring at my hair you perv!" Gwen exclaimed with a smile.

"Was not!" Peter said, sticking out his tongue.

"Was too!" Gwen said and moved to chuck her pillow at him again, but the nurse came and stood in the doorway.

"Yeah, Yeah," Peter said as he grabbed his backpack. "I Know the drill, Claire."

The nurse scoffed. "That's Nurse temple to you! And don't you bother my baby girl while she should be resting!" Nurse Temple shot Peter a look.

"Or what?" Peter teased.

"Or you'll have me as your nurse too." She replied.

"I get the picture! Night Gwen! Look for the hidden meaning in our little conversation. You're a smart girl, I'm sure you'll get it."

* * *

Peter swung off into the night where he saw a string of black SUVs driving in tandem toward the docks. What was more suspicious was that none of them had registration numbers.

 _That... That's a bit suspicious._ Peter thought as he landed on a rooftop water tower.

 _At times like this, Peter Parker, just ask yourself: "What would Bruce do?"_ Peter leapt down and swung after the SUVs.

They finally stopped at a large warehouse where Peter crawled through an upstairs window. From the darkness of the rafters, Peter watched as a small army of men walked up to somebody sitting on a table in a burlap sack mask.

Peter shot a web-line across the warehouse and crawled along it till he was right above the men, where he listened from the shadows.

"These things are the BOMB!" The Hobgoblin said in glee as he threw a small sphere up into the air and caught it again.

"Yes." Came a voice from a pudgy man in a dark brown overcoat. His accent was thick, Peter recognised it as Swiss. "They are also not toys."

"They may not be toys, but man do I like playing with them!"

"You remember your part of the bargain?" The Swiss man asked.

"Yeah, don't worry. Little Mr Roxxon Jr won't be walking again very soon." He threw the sphere high into the air, as it passed Peter, he noted that it was a semi-translucent white colour, with blinking blue and red LEDs visible behind the thick exterior. "Or more accurately, ever again. If he keeps his legs."

 _Franklin Roxxon? The Tigers' star football captain?_ Peter asked as he peered down. The Swiss man tilted his head as if listening to someone speak.

"Yes. I am aware." He said. He turned around and spoke now to the men behind him in fast and quick Russian.

 _The Russian mob?!_ Peter thought to himself as he peered down, trying to make out the man's face. All he could see was a brown bowl cut and a pair of dark green cup goggles. The Russians moved into their separate vans only one group staying behind with theSwiss man.

"One more thing, Goblin." He said. Peter's spider-sense flared. He leapt down onto the warehouse floor as a shining metallic tentacle burst from the Swiss man's trenchcoat and skewered the air where Peter was moments ago. "Kill the Spiderman."

"Uh, do I get a last meal?" Peter quipped as he lowered himself to the ground.

"Yeah," Hobgoblin said as he jumped into the air. From inside the van behind him shot a mechanical purple fin which attached to the soles of Hobgoblin's feet. "Pumpkin bomb."

Peter had to dance around like a cat on a tin roof as the Hobgoblin through bomb after bomb at him. The Swiss man climbed int the back of the last van as it sped off.

"Like the name, Spiderman?" He asked as Peter narrowly dodged shrapnel from the bomb that tore the table he was standing on to splinters.

"Not really a fan of pumpkin!" Peter said as he tried to web Goblin's face from mid-air. "Got any Lemon bombs instead?"

Hobgoblin threw another bomb and Peter's spider-sense tore at his mind. Unlike the other bombs, this one didn't explode with a cackling laugh and a puff of orange smoke. It exploded into a swarm of deadly razors flying in Peter's direction at breakneck speed.

 _NO!_ Peter thought as he did his best to weave through the deadly whirlwind of metal. _TOO FAST!_ He screamed internally as a razor cut through one of the tubes leading from his backpack to his web-shooters.

Before he could react another bomb exploded right next to him. The spark from the bomb along with the compressed gas leaking from his backpack made an explosion that shot Peter through a pillar holding up the roof. The warehouse groaned as it finally started to cave in because of the structural damage from their fight.

The roof collapsed. Peter screamed in pain as a heavy piece of metal pinned him to the floor. Luckily the warehouse had a glass roof and Peter landed in the middle of it. He struggled to free himself from his gnarled cage.

"Down came the goblin," Hobgoblin said as he threw another bomb into the air and lazily plucked it out of its fall. "And washed the spider out."

Peter struggled desperately as Hobgoblin raised the bomb above his head.

 _IT CAN'T END LIKE THIS!_ Peter thought as he used all his might to try and push the metal off of himself. Angry tears stung in his eyes as his arms gave in, unable to free himself. _I still have to tell Gwen!_

There was a flash of black and the Hobgoblin flew off of his glider slamming into a piece of metal. In front of Peter stood a man dressed in yellow leggings and a long yellow sleeved shirt. A Red leotard held the outfit together. The man's face was covered by a red balaclava, and two batons rested easily in his hands.

"What the hell are you supposed to be?" Hobgoblin asked as he chucked a bomb at the man.

"Look out!" Peter yelled weakly as the man didn't move an inch. The bomb sailed harmlessly past him and plopped unceremoniously into the water.

The Hobgoblin yelped and jumped on his glider flying away into the night. The man didn't watch him go. Instead, he moved to Peter. Using his baton he tapped on the metal a few times. Every time he moved his baton to the right a little. Finally, he moved down and placed his hand on the metal.

"It's no use!" Peter said as he watched the man grip it with two hands. "I couldn't even lift it! And I've got super strength!"

"Push." The man said. Peter shut his mouth and pushed with all his might. The metal slid off and Peter stumbled forwards.

"How did you-?" Peter started but the man cut him off.

"Be quiet." He tilted his head and listened. "How are your cracked ribs healing that fast? Your burns as well."

The man put a hand on Peter's neck.

"Are you a mutant?" He asked.

"Mutate actually. I wasn't born with my powers. I got bitten by a radioactive spider." Peter said.

"Right." The man said and started walking away. "Stay out of my kitchen."

"Hey wait up!" Peter said as he limped after the man. "Who are you?"

"I'm the Devil." The man said and plucked a baton from his side. He pressed a button that revealed a long cord. He threw the baton at a nearby building where it perfectly snagged on the fire escape. With a running pull, he was off into the night, swinging away.

"I have to tell you something!" Peter said as he limped after the devil of Hell's Kitchen as fast as he could.

"Your costume sucks!" Peter screamed after him, wheezing from the pain in his chest. "And, thanks."

He added softly as he watched the devil swing out of sight. Behind Peter, a traffic cone started moving. Peter moved into a space between two warehouses where he dressed in his civilian clothes.

 _That's another costume down the drain._ Peter thought as he walked off down the street. AND _I need to make new web-shooters. Again._

Unobserved by Peter the traffic cone moved along behind him, propelled slowly forwards by oozing black tendrils.

* * *

 **That's all for chapter eight, folks. You'll have to wait till next week to see what happens next. This chapter ended a bit more morbidly than the others. It's Peter's first real loss. A bit shorter than the last two, I know, and I do apologize for that. I'll make up for it with the next one though.**

 **Next time on Spiderman's Sensational adventures:**

 **While on the hunt for the Hobgoblin and tracking down a mysterious disappearing bank robber, Peter notices that something is amiss with Alex. Peter Tries to find the Tentacled Swiss man and deal with his ever growing feelings for Gwen. Peter also meets up with two one of the most iconic side-characters in his colourful repertoire, one a sour-faced, and foul-mouthed editor, and one a slimy black companion...**

 **Catch up with Spidey next week in CHAPTER NINE:**

 _ **"A DAY AT THE BEACH!"**_


	9. Chapter 9: A Day AT The Beach

**Disclaimer:**

 _ **Knock-Knock!**_

 **Who's there?**

 _ **A Marvel comics plagiarism lawsuit!**_

 **You can't come in. I don't own any of this. I don't make any money either. I'm also broke.**

 **Well! Now in this chapter... hoo boy... I'll just let it speak for itself. Also: Mild Fluff warning! I think... haven't decided yet...**

 **Possible Mild Fluff!**

 **I apologise ahead of time for the fluff that may, or may not, follow. I'm just in a mood.**

 **The story ahead was actually supposed to only happen in chapter twelve, but I moved my timeline up when I decided that splitting chapters in two (Spidey Chapters and Peter Chapters) was a really bad idea.**

 **Anyway! You don't wanna hear me talk to myself! Here you go. Chapter 9.**

 **Chapter 9:**

* * *

 **"A day at the Beach"**

* * *

Sunday morning at three Peter's eyes drooped open. He was still sore from having a warehouse fall on him and from his scuffle with the Hobgoblin.

It wasn't his alarm clock making the high-pitched whistling sound, the sound seemed to stab at him from across the room. Peter got out of bed if only to mute the noise. He walked to the edge of his room where he noticed the sound came from deeper inside the house.

He groaned and tiptoed past his aunt's bed. He noticed that she was fast asleep, seemingly unbothered.

After walking down the stairs, Peter finally realised the sound came from inside the basement.

 _What the heck?_ Peter thought as he walked down into the basement where his shredded costume and mask lay. The whistling cane from his backpack. He carefully opened it, expecting a bomb or something similar that the Hobgoblin left on him.

The whistling was coming from the watch Reed Richards gave him. He lifted it up to see if he could turn it off. The watch was round and silver without any hands or digits, while the straps were wide and metallic.

Suddenly the watch face split in two. Peter yelped as the straps retracted back in on themselves until they were folded under the main body. The parts of the watch reassembled themselves as an eerie blue light started to emanate from the bottom of the now no-longer-a-watch.

The device now clicked together, all of the breaks in the metal sealing so that it was smooth and complete. The device now resembled a kitchen timer more than anything else. On the front was a round shape, where three red dots in a line flickered on and off.

Suddenly they stopped blinking. The dots on the far left and far right remained on. The device floated into the air and buzzed briefly. It then did something Peter did not expect at all. It spoke.

"Observation: all functions online. Inquiry: location?" The voice sounded melodious, like a singer, but strange and distorted, like the singer had a slight cold. And was also talking through a fan.

"Uh... Hi?" Peter said awkwardly as he stared at the device.

"Observation: Unlikely. Geographic sensors indicate location: Queens. Home of Ben and May Parker." The device looked at Peter. A small antenna popped from its head, it buzzed briefly.

"Observation: You are not Ben Parker." The device tilted down, seemingly staring at Peter's chest.

"Observation: You are not May Parker."

"What? Eww!" Peter stumbled back. "No! I'm Peter Parker."

"Statement: I am in your possession. Inquiry: Dr Richards gifted me to you?" The device said in its sing-song voice.

"Yeah. He said to hold on to you till he sent a message." Peter sat down at his desk. "I assume this is the message. What are you anyway?"

"Clarification: I am Humanoid Electronic Robot B-type Integrated Experiment. Statement: Dr Richards requires me to ask you to address me as HERBIE. Request: Please, call me Herbie." The robot extended an appendage from its side and a small spray of tiny fireworks flew into the air.

"Statement: Dr Richards thinks that he is a funny man. Apology: Dr Richards is not a funny man."

Peter laughed a bit at that.

"Statement: Dr Richards would like me to take Designation: Spiderman to the Baxter building. Inquiry: Are you Designation: Spiderman?" Herbie asked.

"Yeah," Peter said and yawned loudly. "Yes I am Designation Spiderman, please just keep it down, Herbie, Ok? If Aunt May finds out she'll freak. Just let me get dressed in some-"

Suddenly there was a bright blue light. Peter felt all his hairs stand on end. The next moment he was in a brightly lit room.

"-more appropriate clothes..." Peter finished.

"Exclamation: Welcome to the Baxter building! Statement: Dr Richards, I have brought Peter Parker, Designation: Spiderman!"

The room he was in contained a long white counter that matched the white walls, floor and ceiling. The counter had many bits of metal and machinery taken apart adorning the top of the counter. Reed Richards was bent over the counter, he looked up and smiled at Peter. He wore a skintight jumpsuit, segmented half in black on his left, and half in blue on his right. The two parts joined in a number Four shape. Over the jumpsuit, he wore his white lab coat.

"Ah, Peter, welcome. I see you met Herbie." Reed said as he plucked off his gloves. "Glad to see the teleporter works. I haven't tested it since it vaporised my downstairs neighbour's cat. I'm glad the molecular bonds between your atoms are still stable."

"It vaporised a cat?" Peter mouthed.

"Yes. Never really liked the cat." Reed smiled. He gestured for Peter to follow as he walked towards the lab's exit. "I'm glad you came."

"How did you know I was Spiderman?" Peter asked as he walked alongside the man.

"I didn't. Herbie figured that out on his own, well done by the way Herbie." Reed said over his shoulder to the small robot floating next to Peter.

"Acknowledgement: Thank you for the compliment, Dr Richards. Humble Reply: it was nothing."

Reed reached behind him as his arm wound back the way they came. His arm stretched away for a long time and then came back holding a tape recorder.

"Note to self: Herbie's preceding declarations remarking the nature of his responses are accidentally adorable."

"How did you just do that?" Peter exclaimed in surprise as Reed reached back and his arm wound around the corner back to the lab.

"I'll explain in a moment," Reed said as they walked into a big white and grey living room. An open plan kitchen could be seen past an arch on the right, while the elevator doors to the rest of the building as well as a few blank grey doors could be seen to the left.

Behind a long white sofa, a large flat screen TV sat against the wall right ahead of him, where a baseball game currently played.

"Peter, please make yourself at home. I'll be right back." Reed dodged the question and walked off to the left.

On the sofa, Peter could see an orange crystal mass sticking out over the edge. He walked around the sofa where he saw Ben Grim. Ben's entire body was seemingly composed entirely out of an orange crystal substance. His crystalline skin was cracked and shard-like, the edges unevenly and asymmetrically arranged over his body. The crystals were semi-translucent and Peter could see yellow fluids and organs shining through Ben's skin.

Ben looked up and made eye contact with Peter. He looked Peter over and sat upright. Ben sighed deeply and slowly closed and opened his eyes. He stared at Peter. His eyes, unlike every other part of his body, were a deep sapphire blue.

"Go on. Say it." Ben said. His voice was deep like an opera singer's but gravely, as if his vocal chords were boulders scraping against each other.

"What?" Peter asked flustered.

"Say it. I know you're thinking it. Spit it out and then we can move on with our lives." Ben said dejectedly.

"Dude... you look..." Peter started, trying to grasp the best way to describe this diamond monster.

"There it is." Ben sighed.

"You look awesome!" Peter finished. Ben snapped his gaze to Peter and stared at him open-mouthed.

"You don't think I'm hideous?" Ben asked in stony awe.

"Dude, are you kidding?" Peter exclaimed. "Your whole body is made of crystal. That is radical! There was a guy like you on Ben 10, the original series, Diamondhead, only he was green."

Ben stared at Peter as if he was only seeing him for the first time.

"Mind if I join you?" Peter asked and pointed to the part of the sofa unoccupied by Ben.

"Sure," Ben said and scooted over, leaving a place for Peter.

"Who's playing?" Peter asked.

"The Yankees an' the Mets," Ben said, flabbergasted that anyone can find his appearance anything other than horrifying.

"The Mets?!" Peter exclaimed and plopped down. "No way!"

"You're a Mets fan?" Ben asked, finally having something to talk about. "You're kidding!"

"Dude!" Peter laughed. "I'm from Queens."

"No kidding!" Ben said turning to look at Peter. "I'm from Lower East!"

"Wow!" Peter stuck out his hand and smiled. "Peter Parker!"

Ben took Peter's hand carefully, he wasn't sure of his new strength, and aside from Reed, Peter was the first person to be kind to him since the incident. To Ben's surprise, Peter's handshake was firm enough to feel.

"Damn kid." He said. "Quite the grip you got there! What do they even feed you in Queens nowadays?"

"Lots of green vegetables." Peter teased.

"Hey, Ben!" Came a loud and arrogant voice from behind Peter. "Stop scaring the poor kid!"

Peter spun around to see a kid not much older than him, three years at the most, with spiky blonde hair and a dazzling white smile. He wore the same suit as Reed, except it had a red accent instead of a blue one.

"Johnny Storm." The guy said and slid onto the sofa between Peter and Ben, cramming them in. "Astronaut, playboy and, since recently, superhero extraordinaire!"

"Peter. Kid. Not amused." Peter said with an icy tone.

"Move it flame-brain!" Ben said and picked Johnny up by his waist, Ben's hand easily folding over Johnny's entire body.

"Hey!" Johnny squealed. "Let me go you human landslide!"

Suddenly Johnny burst into flames. Peter exclaimed in fear and surprise and jumped up looking around for a fire extinguisher. Ben simply lifted Johnny and started shaking him until the flames went out.

"Ben! Johnny!" Came a voice Peter recognised as the voice of Susan. Her blonde hair was tied in a ponytail and she wore the same body suit as the others. Her jumpsuit had a silver accent, and instead of long sleeves, her jumpsuit had short cut sleeves and ended in gloves.

"That's enough!" She said.

"He started it!" Ben and Johnny exclaimed simultaneously.

"I don't care who started it!" She hissed through her teeth. "We have a guest! Behave yourselves!"

Ben and Johnny grumbled apologies and as soon as Susan looked away they glared at each other.

"Peter, honey, Reed has the lab ready for you. This way, please." Susan said and gestured for him to head towards the lab he came from earlier. With a final glare that promised holy and unbridled fury aimed at Ben and Johnny, they walked into Reed's lab.

"Everybody stand back!" Reed exclaimed excitedly and yanked a lever. The floor of the lab shifted and changed until a small obstacle course was in place of the equipment. The only semblance of the lab was Reed's white counter, that now had a large container on it. The container was filled with a strange neon blue mass that shifted and changed.

"Whoah," Peter said in awe. Reed smiled at him.

"Johnny, you first," Reed said.

"Aye-Aye, boss!" He said and saluted. "Flame on!"

Johnny burst into flames and weaved through the obstacle course. He flashed through the ring tyres and twisted around poles.

"When we were hit by that cosmic anomaly our biology was transmuted. Johnny has the ability to vibrate the atoms around him at incredible speed, causing the air an inch from his skin to spontaneously combust." Reed explained. "He can also form small balls of fire and use them as projectiles."

When he got to a small target range like area, he threw four fireballs that left smouldering posts where the targets were.

"Very good, Johnny," Reed said and pressed a few buttons as Johnny landed next to them with a smirk.

The room shifted into a similar obstacle course, only this time with smoke and lasers.

"Susan, please?" Reed asked as Susan stepped up to the course. She stood still a moment and then turned invisible. Even though Peter had seen it before he marvelled at this once again.

Peter saw slight curls and wisps of smoke move but other than that he couldn't see Susan at all.

"Why can't I see her shape in the smoke?" Peter asked, cupping his hands over his eyes.

"Susan's molecules vibrate in such a way that doesn't allow any reflection of light at all," Reed explained. "The rays of light pass through her as if through air. Because of this state of disjunction, her molecules don't actually move smoke or water molecules, causing a state of complete invisibility."

Susan faded back into view when she too reached the firing range. She focused and pulled her arm back as if she was throwing a discus. She let fly, and one target cut in half. Next, she held her hands as if she was holding something. She pushed her hands together and the target crumpled.

"Susan made the leap that if she could change the density of her own molecules, she could do it with air molecules as well. She was right. What you don't see is that she is compacting air molecules to create razor sharp disks, or crushing objects by compacting the air around them." Reed explained as Susan walked up to the last target.

She glared and made a fist. The target shifted slightly. Susan slowly opened her fist as the target started contorting and shuddering. It then exploded.

"She is also able to create these _'force-fields'_ inside of something. She can then expand that force-field until the target explodes from the inside."

Ben, Johnny and Peter all gulped at this. Susan walked over and wiped her arm over her bleeding nose. Reed pushed a few buttons and the room shifted again. This time instead of a target range, a large metal cylinder extended from the ceiling.

"Ben, if you will?" Reed asked.

"Sure thing," Ben said and walked over. The obstacle course this time was similar to a military training course. Ben easily and agilely hopped through the tires on the floor and easily scaled the rope wall. He did a dive roll under a log and crossed the monkey bars.

"Ben's molecular bonds were mutated by the cosmic anomaly," Reed said. "The carbon in his atomic makeup shifted from being cubic structure to a hexagonal structure. This caused all of his organs to shift their structure from normal to the same dexterity as diamond. His body is nearly indestructible, while still as malleable as normal skin."

Ben stepped up under the cylinder and put one hand behind his back. He lifted his palm until it touched the bottom of the cylinder. Ben nodded and Reed turned a dial on the desk which made the cylinder press down. Ben didn't show the slightest signs of exertion. Soon smoke oozed from the place where the cylinder met the ceiling. Reed turned the dial down again and Ben walked to a wall covered with small black lines.

"Ben can lift the maximum weight my hydraulic press can exert with ease. Even with his bad arm. That is a weight of 1000 tonnes. He currently stands at 2.3 Metres, and Weighs 467kg."

Ben stood against the wall and stretched his neck. He crouched down low and his body started shifting.

"Holy guacamole!" Peter exclaimed as Ben grew to twice his normal size.

"Ben's body has the extraordinary ability to expand and grow by using carbon-dioxide from the air and absorbing it into himself," Reed said as Ben stood up and had to bend his neck to fit in the room. "At maximum potential, Ben can grow up to 5 meters tall, at which point he weighs 1105 kilograms. Because of his crystalline nervous system, Ben loses no speed or reaction time. He is still as fast and sharp as ever, despite his size."

Ben shrunk and walked over while Reed went over and keyed in a few lines on his computer. He removed a small black disk, about half the size of Peter's palm, and placed it on Peter's chest. Next, he placed a smaller circle, about two-thirds smaller than the first, above the other.

"Animation Acclamation: Sleepwear," Reed said while holding a finger on the smaller disk. It beeped twice. Reed then shoved a pile of various fabrics into Peter's arms.

"Matter acclamation: four-inch radius," Reed said, and to Peter's surprise, the bundle clothes started disintegrating as if they were being eaten away. Peter then noticed to his utter horror that his pyjamas were following suit, melting away as if he was standing in a vat of acid. Peter yelped in surprise as he was now only clothed in his molecule print boxers. The disc on his chest beeped twice.

"What the heck?!" Peter exclaimed and tried to cover himself. Reed simply put a finger to the smaller disk and said:

"Animation sequence: Flightsuit, shuttle four, model three, variant three."

Peter felt his arms prickle with goosebumps as a thin layer of material, almost like spandex, but much better weaved, flowed over his body. It covered his entire body in the stone grey material, including his hands. Then the same material in a thinner layer flowed over his chest, covering one side of his body. Where the red and grey areas met, a Four symbol formed.

"What the heck!" Peter exclaimed, this time in awe as he pulled on the fabric a little. It was rubbery and made of small hexagonal indentations.

"Well Peter, I noticed that your costume was destroyed when you helped save our shuttle," Susan smiled. "So I convinced Reed to make you an unstable molecule transponder."

"You can use it to create any clothing you want if you've got the technical know-how," Reed said. "I can show you how to make basic things, but you'll have to figure it out on your own."

"I also thought of something else," Susan said with an evil grin. "Johnny is convinced he's a superhero now. If you can beat his time on the obstacle course... he has to drive you wherever you want, whenever you want."

"What! No!" Johnny whined and walked over. "You can't do that! I'm a grown man!"

Susan lifted her eyebrow at Johnny, who whithered under her glare and grumbled in response.

"I'll give it a shot..." Peter smiled.

* * *

"A MINUTE!" Johnny exclaimed. "A WHOLE BLOODY MINUTE! HOW?"

Peter landed in front of the others and wiped the sweat off of his forehead.

"How did I do?" He asked and looked up at Ben.

"You beat the hotshot's record time by a whole minute!" Ben laughed and put a hand on Peter's shoulder. "For knockin' 'im down ta' size, I'll heckin' drive you wherever you like!"

"Very impressive, Peter," Reed said looking over at footage from Peter's try on the course. "I randomized the hazards and hidden projectiles, but you evaded them without a hitch. It's like you knew the events were going to occur before they did."

"Oh!" Peter smiled. "That's just my _spider-sense._ "

"Your _spider-sense?_ " Reed asked sceptically.

"It's a form of precognition I developed along with my other powers. It warns me of any threat or danger that may harm me in some way."

"Fascinating..." Reed said. "Tell me, Peter, do you own a computer?"

"Uh," Peter scratched his chin. "Yeah, a really old one my Uncle Ben bought. A Commodore 64."

Reed laughed.

"That's no computer! It's a dinosaur!" He leaned over to his desk and removed a grey and dented laptop. "This was my previous personal computer, it's too outdated for most of the things I need these days, but it still has the original software I used to design the coding first iteration of my unstable molecule transponder."

Reed sighed nostalgically and handed Peter the computer. Peter looked at him in shock.

"Mr Richards, I really can't take this. I'm just trying to help, I don't expect any kind of-" Peter started but Reed cut him off.

"Peter, please," Reed said and smiled kindly. He put a hand on Peter's shoulder, which was a bit strange as he was more than two meters away. "I see what you're trying to do, and I for one appreciate someone doing the right thing because it's the right thing to do. The world needs more people like you. This computer has a built-in uplink with the Baxter building. You can use it to contact us if you ever need to. This is just a way I'm trying to give you a hand."

Peter smiled wide and took the offered laptop. "Thank you so much, Sir! You've all been really wonderful. I hope we'll be working together at some point..."

"You can count on me web-head," Ben said, with his granite grin. Peter smiled up at him.

"Well, I think I'd better get going, without my web-shooters, it'll take me at least an hour to get home," Peter said and looked at a nearby window.

"No problem. Herbie will take you," Reed said. "Until next time, Peter Parker."

"Wait! Mr Richards, really it's no problem-" Peter started.

"Declaration: Stand still." In a flash of blue light, Peter and Herbie vanished.

"What a great kid." Ben smiled.

* * *

"Declaration: Welcome home!" Herbie buzzed. "Inquiry: Are all of your limbs still attached and in the right location?"

Peter stumbled and held his hand to his mouth.

"Yeah..." He gasped. "But I feel like all of my organs are upside down!"

Herbie buzzed and scanned Peter with the same blue light from earlier.

"Declaration: All of your internal organs are in the correct location and orientation," Herbie said in his monotone voice.

"Yeah, Herbie. Thanks," Peter said and dry heaved. When he finally got his breath back he set up his new laptop and saw that all of the basics were there, along with a small program titled: 'UMFE'. "Herbie, what does _'U-M-F-E'_ stand for?"

"Clarification: UMFE, Unstable Molecule Fabric Emulator." Herbie said.

Peter smiled and cracked his knuckles.

"Let's do this."

"Worried interjection: Oh dear..."

* * *

Peter yawned loudly and trudged up the steps to his room. He'd improved his web-shooters. Again. He changed the tubing for a small coil and lever set, that shot his webs by using and compressing air near Peter's wrists. Now he could fit the web-shooters under his sleeves, so long as he removed the web cartridges.

"Inquiry: Where are we going, designation: Spiderman?" Herbie beeped from Peter's side.

"SSHHH!" Peter hissed and grabbed Herbie in his hands as if that would make him shut up. "Quiet!"

"Declaration: I will lower my volume."

Peter yawned widely again and walked into his room. He plopped onto the bed and pulled his covers around him.

"Inquiry: Are you tired, Designation: Spiderman?" Herbie asked and zoomed over to Peter's bedside table, where he landed with a soft plop.

"Wasted..." Peter said and rolled over to look at Herbie. "Any chance you could turn back into a watch? My Aunt would freak if she saw you."

"Affirmation: Indeed," Herbie said. Peter stared at Herbie expectantly.

Herbie stared back.

"Herbie?" Peter asked.

"Inquiry: Designation: Spiderman?" Herbie replied.

"Could you turn into a wristwatch, please?" Peter asked.

"Dejected Affirmation: Alright, Designation: Spiderman."

Peter closed his eyes and curled up under his covers. He smiled and drifted off to sleep.

"Peter! Honey! Are you up?" Came the voice of AuntMay as she walked into his room and tutted. "You millennials. Always sleeping in."

Peter yelped as his Aunt plucked the comforter off of him and poked his nose.

"Alarmed Exclamation: Designation: Spiderman, you are under attack!" Herbie beeped from his bedside table.

"No! No, I'm not!" Peter said and grabbed Herbie, he quickly closed the wristwatch on his arm.

"Peter, what was that?" Aunt May asked, her voice coloured with caution.

"Uhm... That was my..." Peter wracked his brain trying to think of something. "...Alarm... Clock..."

"Oh! Well, Peter!" Aunt May smiled. "What a dreadfully splendid idea! I would also surely be wide awake at the thought of that... costumed scoundrel."

She laughed. Peter awkwardly laughed as well, a fake smile plastered to his lips.

"I always knew you were a sensible boy." She said and ruffled his hair. "Be ready in fifteen minutes, you and I are going to see a movie, then, lunch."

"Sweet!" Peter said and leapt out of bed, walking to his closet. As soon as Aunt May left his room though, he slumped against his closet. Peter yawned widely as he retrieved the UM-transponder and container from his pocket and stuck them to his chest.

"Animation Sequence: Everyday Joe." Peter yawned as his everyday outfit materialised around him.

"Acknowledgement: You were right, Designation: Spiderman." Herbie beeped from Peter's wrist. "Statement: You did not accidentally cut off your limbs."

* * *

Peter and Aunt May laughed loudly as they exited the movie theatre. They had gone to see the sleaziest rom-com they could find and were now heading to a nearby pizzeria for lunch.

"And the part where he said: ' _If your eyes were the ocean, I would happily drown...'_ I mean who comes up with this stuff?" Peter laughed loudly as he and Aunt May slid into a booth at the Pizzeria.

"Oh yes!" Aunt May laughed. "And then she replied: _'But if you drown, then who would kiss me?'_ They had just met! They knew each other a day, and already slept together! Ludicrous!"

Peter laughed along with his Aunt. They ordered their drinks and sat in comfortable silence.

"You know," Aunt May smiled softly. "Your Uncle Ben used to love taking me to the movies."

A sad smile crossed Aunt May's face as she said that.

"One time after a particularly cheesy movie, we walked outside and your Uncle was gushing about how great it was." She laughed small tears prickling in her eyes. "He took my hand and spun me around, then he said: 'May! Someday, I'll treat you to a life as luxurious as that.'

"I remember myself saying: 'Ben Parker, I could care less about luxuries. I only want you.'

"He took my hands in his then and said: 'I'm not talking about the money!' He smiled that smile that could melt my heart in an instant. He said: 'One day, we'll have a son. A little boy with my looks and your manners. And we'll love him. And he'll love us.'

"Your Uncle and I had been married seven years at that point. We'd been trying for years to conceive a child. I didn't know that I was sterile yet."

Aunt May wiped a single tear from her cheek then.

"The next day," she said. "We woke up to the sound of the doorbell. The rain was pouring down like a hurricane. Your Uncle opened the door where a small wicker basket lay, drenched in rain. You were folded in a blue blanket... barely the size of your Uncle's arm. The only other thing in your basket was a postcard, from the Statue of Liberty, it said: 'Take care of him. It happened. Rick.' Till this very day, I only know that your Father and Uncle hadn't spoken in over a decade. It must have been bad."

Peter frowned and looked at the table.

"But then..." Aunt May's eyes brightened. "I finally found the son your Uncle and I wanted so badly, all those years."

* * *

Monday passed in a blur for Peter. The only thing he remembered was running into Alex at lunch.

"We need to talk." Peter said and plopped down across from Alex.

"How's Gwen?" Alex asked. Peter was dumbstruck by Alex's docile tone. He expected to be yelled at or punched. A civil conversation was not something he was prepared for.

"Better. She'll be out of the hospital today, maybe even at school tomorrow." Peter looked at Alex, he noticed dark red rings under his friend's eyes. "Are you okay?"

Alex looked up with a glare of such anguish that Peter's heart broke.

"It's my mom," he said, choking up. "My dad owed some mobsters money, he couldn't get it to them in time, so they killed her. A hit and run by the grocery store. I knew you were still dealing with your Uncle. I'm sorry for the things I said."

Peter did the only thing he could think of. He grabbed Alex in a hug and held him there. Alex sobbed, but no tears came out.

"I'm so sorry! Tell Gwen, I'm so sorry!" He wept into Peter's shoulder. "I never should have let him..."

Peter just hugged Alex tighter, comforting his friend in the way only true friends could, no words were needed. Peter hugged Alex untill the bell rang for lunch to end.

* * *

"See you around?" Peter asked as he and Alex parted ways after biology. They'd sat together again in class, and Peter had noticed Alex looking over to Gwen's seat every few minutes. He'd flinch every time, as if he knew something, as if he felt guilty. Peter and Alex didn't share health, which was the last class of the day, so Peter watched Alex walk to PE.

When the bell rang Peter sprinted out to the alley behind the school.

"Animation sequence: Dress to impress!" Peter yelled as he loaded his web-shooters with cartridges from his backpack. The small disk beeped and his clothes reanimated. His chest and shoulders were covered in red fabric, as well as his feet and hands. His mask had big white eyes and black rims. A lighter shade of red ran criss-cross along all the sections of his body covered in red, forming a web pattern. The rest of his outfit was a bright sky blue. The small disk sat above its larger counterpart, with black lines next to the disks forming Peter's now iconic Spider Icon.

Peter leapt into the air and shot a web at a nearby building, swinging at top speed. Peter was rushing as fast as he could towards time's square, and more specifically, the office of the Daily Bugle. In the previous class, Health, Peter got two consecutive messages:

" ** _NEVER BE LATE FOR A MEETING!_** "

Followed by:

" _By the way, you have a meeting with me, J Jonah Jameson, editor of the esteemed Daily Bugle,_ ** _TEN MINUTES AGO!_** "

Peter swung in a fast arc, prematurely letting go of his web, which caused him to launch over a passing truck. Peter shot two consecutive webs at the rooftop of the Daily Bugle building, praying to every deity he could think of that the door on the rooftop was unlocked.

"Animation sequence: Business Casual!" Peter said and dive rolled on the building's roof while his clothes changed from his new Spiderman suit to a white button-up shirt, bow-tie with black jeans and dress shoes.

He rushed into a room where people were darting about everywhere, either busy typing on a computer or rushing around carrying paperwork. Peter's spider-sense buzzed and he barely managed to avoid a brick-shaped phone that flew over his head.

" **YOU!** " Came a voice that sounded like the guy who played Arthur Rock from that Steve Jobs movie, the one without Michael Fasbender. " **I SENT YOU TO GET ME A SANDWICH TEN MINUTES AGO!"**

A sandwich came flying over Peter's head as he walked towards the commotion.

"Mr Jameson, please, that was your sandwich! I-" The man was cut off and Peter had to dodge a flying shoe.

 **"THAT'S MR JAMESON TO YOU, URICH! YOU'RE FIRED! WORST INTERN I EVER HIRED!"** The man yelled. Peter saw the man that fit the voice now. He had a greying buzz cut and moustache that would make Hitler proud. His face was as red as the tie he wore over his tan striped shirt and brown suspenders.

"But, Mr Jameson! I'm not an Intern! I'm a Reporter!" The smaller man said in a frightened tone.

 **"WHAT?! COME BACK HERE! YOU'RE HIRED! NOW SAY THAT TO MY FACE SO I CAN FIRE YOU AGAIN!"**

"Mr Jameson, your wife is on line three," a voice said from near the door. It belonged to a beautiful brunette with a bob haircut and a white sundress.

 **"TELL HER I'M OUT! NO! TELL HER I'M IN! TELL HER-"** At that moment the phone beeped and a voice could be heard over the old style dial phone.

"Hello dear," Mr Jameson said, surprising Peter with his light tone. "Yes dear. I'm in a meeting, dear. With my best reporter, Ben Urich. No, dear. Yes, dear. Meatloaf would be lovely, dear. Goodbye, dear. I love you too, dear. **AND ONE MORE THING!"**

"Mr JAmeson, your 1:30, a Mister Peter Parker is here," The secretary said. As Peter walked closer he noticed her nametag said: _Betty Brandt_.

 _That's Mr Daniels' fiance?! Whoah!_ Peter thought as he walked into Jameson's office.

 **"YOU'RE PERKINS?"** He thundered.

"Parker, Peter Parker, yes Sir," Peter replied while his ears rang.

 **"YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE HERE TWENTY MINUTES AGO!"** Mr Jameson screamed and plopped down at his desk. **"WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG?"**

"I was in school up till five minutes ago, I came here as fast as I-" Peter was cut off as Jameson started _"talking"_ again.

 **"DO YOU KNOW WHY THE BUGLE IS THE ONLY SURVIVING NEWSPAPER IN NEW YORK PABLO?"** He asked.

"It's Peter, Sir, and no, Sir."

 **"IT'S BECAUSE I EMBRACE CHANGE! WHEN I WAS A YOUNG JOURNALIST, I HEARD ABOUT THIS NEW INVENTION CALLED THE OUTERNET."** Jameson bellowed.

"The internet, sir?" Peter asked, confused.

 **"THAT"S WHAT I SAID! THE INNERNET! DON'T INTERRUPT ME!"** Jameson yelled. **"ANYWAY, I HEARD OF THIS INNERNET AND THOUGHT: WHAT A LOAD OF HOGWASH! BUT! TO BE SAFE, I STARTED AN UNLINE BLOG CALLED "THE BUGLE". BY THE TIME NORMAL PAPERS DIED, I, J JOHNAH JAMESON, WAS STANDING TALL, BECAUSE VERYONE USED MY BLOG! RECENTLY I FELT IT WAS TIME TO RECRUIT A YOUNGSTER TO OUR RANKS, AS I WAS RECRUITED WHEN I WAS YOUR AGE! MISS BRANDT'S FIANCE RECOMENDED YOUR ENTRY, I DIDN'T EVEN READ ANY OTHERS! SPARED ME AN ENTIRE AFTERNOON'S READING! HAH!"**

"You didn't even read my essay?" Peter asked in shock. "I got in by chance?"

 **"NO SUCH THING, PATRICK!"** Jameson said.

"It's Peter."

 **"THAT'S WHAT I SAID!"**

Suddenly the sound of police sirens rang through the windows from the streets below.

 **"HEAR THAT PHILIP?"** Jameson smiled a wide grimace that looked like he didn't know how his face worked, and that smiling in and of itself was a tormenting act. **"THAT, MY DEAR BOY, IS THE SOUND OF NEWS."**

Peter stood there waiting for Jameson to say more.

 **"WELL?! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?! A WRITTEN INVITATION?! GO GET ME THAT STORY!"**

"Right away, sir!" Peter yelled and started running, putting a finger to something in his pocket.

 **"AND I WANT THE STORY WRITTEN! PEN ON PAPER! NO TYPING"** Jameson yelled after Peter. He then sat back in his chair and rubbed his moustache. **"Am I out of touch miss Brandt?"**

Jameson asked as Betty put a cup of tea on his desk.

"No, Sir. Why do you ask?" She asked.

 **"I could have sworn I just saw that Porter kid jump out a window..."** He said, rubbing his chin.

"I haven't an idea of what could make him want to do that..." Betty said as she sat down at her desk.

* * *

Peter swung onto the front fountain of a bank, where a man dressed in rich green, with a flowing purple cape came striding out, carrying a black duffel bag, stuffed with money. Peter leapt down and landed in front of the man. He could barely hold his laughter.

"Dude," Peter giggled. "Is that a _fishbowl_ on your head?"

"Says the kid dressed like the Union Jack," Fishbowl-Head replied. His accent was very British and he had an arrogant sneer. Peter had to admit, the fishbowl made it hard to see the guy's face.

"So, would you like me to get your name before, or after I kick your butt?" Peter asked and cracked his knuckles.

"You ever read any Shakespeare, Spiderman?" The man asked.

"OH, sorry," Peter said. "I shalt doth taketh thy name after whooping thy rump, good sir."

"I, the great Mysterio, pose you the question, Spiderman," The man plucked a purple orb from his pocket. "To see, or not to see?"

He then vanished in a puff of purple smoke.

"What the?" Peter exclaimed as the smoke disappeared.

"Spiderman!" A police officer ran up and stood next to Peter. He recognised the man as Stan Carter. "Did you see that? He vanished!"

"No kidding," Peter said. He was about to say more when Stan's radio rang.

 _ **"All availible units! Blockade around the Fisk construction site near Times Square! Perimeter of nine blocks! Holy SHIT! What is that thing!"**_

Peter leapt in the air and swung there as fast as he could. When he got to the location, he noticed that the all of the sand in the area was churning and clumping, sometimes opening up in a grimace.

 _Woah._ Peter thought as he landed on the road in front of the site. Sand near his feet started slowly flowing to the middle of the site, forming a pillar of sorts.

 _Oh, my over-salted mushrooms._ Peter thought as the pillar grew in volume and started to change shape. Into a human shape. The sand monster roared. More and more sand started pouring into it as it grew three stories high. The monster roared as it slammed into the ground under its enormous weight. It reared up with a giant maw and screamed.

Peter was desperately thinking of what to do when a nearby policeman said: "What is that! UP in the sky!"

Peter snapped his gaze skywards where he saw what looked like a long white bathtub descend from the heavens. Inside the vehicle sat Ben, Reed and Susan.

"Told you it was faster," Susan said as Johnny arrived a moment later.

"Not now, Sue." Reed Said. He plucked a tablet from his lab coat and pointed it at the Monster. "Sue take care of the civilians. Ben, Top size, keep it busy. Johnny, it's made of sand. Make it glass"

Everyone snapped to attention as soon as Reed started talking and immediately did what they were told.

"HEY YOU WALKING SLOBBERING SANDCASTLE!" Ben yelled. "IT'S CLOBBERING TIME!"

Peter jumped up to Reed as he watched Ben uppercut the sand monster with a fist the size of a taxi.

"Mr Richards what can I do?" Peter asked.

"Spiderman, I need you to take this and swing in as close as you can!" Reed said and handed Peter a small black orb.

 _Got it!_ Peter yelled and swung up jumping over the monster onto Ben's shoulder.

Reed looked at the data on his pad as Johnny, Ben and Peter kept the monster busy.

 _These reading make no sense!_ Reed thought as he stared at the data. _Unless..._

"SUE!" Reed yelled, and she ran up to him. "I NEED YOUR TRANSPONDER!"

"You need my WHAT?!" Sue asked holding her hands up in horror. "If I don't have this thing I'll be naked, Reed!"

"I need you to trust me. You can turn invisible, and I need to do this, I'll send Herbie to get my UM-Container. HERBIE! RETRACTION CODE: C-098-UM!"

"Affirmation: Affirmative." Herbie disappeared from Peter's wrist.

Susan Turned invisible and handed Reed her transponder.

"You're so making this up to me later," she whispered.

Reed stretched over to the vehicle and removed a small screwdriver. Herbie materialised next to him.

"MR RICHARDS!" Peter yelled as the sand monster formed a giant mace on one appendage and slammed Johnny out of the sky. It roared and formed two hammers that slammed Ben off of his feet and towards the unfinished building. Before he could hit it an invisible force seemed to slow his descent.

"Thanks, darlin'," He said and cracked his knuckles. "Round two, Beach Boy."

Ben charged at the monster and leapt into the air, he slammed both his fists onto the monster's head with a deafening thunderclap.

"My Pa was a boxer you know!" He said as he swung his entire body into another double-handed blow to the side of the monster's head. "fun fact! He never fought fair!"

"Spiderman!" Reed yelled, and Peter landed next to him. "I need you to take this transponder and shove it down the monster's throat! If my calculations are right, you'll be out in a second."

"Yes, Sir!" Peter said and grabbed the transponder. Ben flew across the sky and once again Susan caught him with an invisible force.

"Fellah can take a hit!" Ben said as he rubbed his jaw. "And dish out as much as he takes!"

"Ben!" Peter yelled. "I need you to throw me!"

"WHAT?!" Ben said.

"Throw me! Right down the monster's throat!" Peter sad and leapt into Ben's hand.

"I hope you know what you're doing, little buddy!" Ben said as he pulled his arm back and charged. "HEY SANDY! FASTBALL SPECIAL!"

Peter flew through the air like a javelin, holding his arms ahead of him like an Olympic diver. The next moment his spider-sense flared and his vision blacked out. Peter felt the transponder beep and then felt tonnes of sand crushing from every side. he couldn't breathe. He couldn't see. He struggled and twisted but that only seemed to make him sink deeper into the sand. Peter's lungs were on fire as he suffocated under the sand. He began to see stars and his ears started ringing when he felt something close around him.

Peter gulped in huge lungfuls of air as Susan, now covered in Reed's lab coat and sporting a killer nosebleed, lifted him telekinetically out of the ground. Reed's unstable molecule container now contained a black swirling cloud that changed shape and twisted into a face every few minutes.

"What... the heck... is that..." Peter gasped between dry heaves.

"That," Reed said. "Is Flint Marco."

The crowd suddenly cheered and applauded, Peter held the transponder out to Susan who happily reanimated her jumpsuit.

When the wave of journalists finally burst through, it was Johnny who stepped forwards, smirking, in front of the cameras.

"Who are you?" Seemed to be the most common question, so Johnny smiled and said:

"We are the earth's greatest super heroes yet! The Fantastic Four! Our brave leader! Mr Fantstic! The lady who puts the _'damn'_ in damsel, The Invisible Woman! I, the powerful, courageous, and awesome Human Torch!"

"Who are you?" One reporter asked, holding a mic to Ben. Ben looked over at Peter, Who smiled and nodded. Ben grinned and said:

"Diamondhea-" Before he could finish, Johnny cut him off.

"He is known as THE HORRIFYING THING!"

"JOHNNY!" Ben yelled and tried to grab Johnny by the neck. Johnny guffawed and flew high into the sky, using his flame trail to make a giant _'4'_ symbol in the sky before flying back down to earth.

 _Well, JJ._ Peter thought. _You wanted news. How's the world's first superfamily do?_

* * *

Unbeknownst to Peter and the other onlookers, from under an orange traffic cone near Peter's feet slithered a black, goo-like creature. It shuddered at the bright lights. It was hungry... so very hungry... it just managed to grab hold of Peter's foot as the Spiderman swung off into the New York skyline. It feasted on the sweet nourishing adrenaline as Peter's suit retracted where it touched. Everywhere it did, it lapped up the salty taste from Peter's skin and gorged itself on the rush Peter felt as he dive-bombed the street.

It needed more. The creature expanded until it covered Peter's whole body, including the strange metallic devices on his wrists. Instead of silvery strands, Peter shot a glistening black chord of web at a nearby building, and swang twice as hard and as fast as usual. Slimy white tendrils wrapper around Peter's shoulders, arms and chest to form a long insectoid spider shape.

Peter shot a web at another building and pulled. His strength felt doubled as he pulled himself so hard that he cracked the three-inch-thick glass when he landed against it.

 _What the Hell?!_ Peter thought as he saw a black version of his suit reflected back at him.

* * *

 **Next time on the Perks of Being a wallcrawler...**

 **Peter deals with his newfound toy, an organic suit that greatly increases his power and shoots organic webs! But what is this strange creature? And what dark secrets lie within its black tendrils? Find out next time, when Peter tries to find the source of mysterious man-made earthquakes and learns to handle his new power!**

 **Tune in next time for Chapter 10:**

 _ **"Shockwave: Part 1!"**_


End file.
